Download the printable version of the June 14 issue of GPconnect.
In this edition:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Topeka approved by conference members for new unified office
NUMB prepares for 22nd annual ride to feed the hungry
2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Wednesday's opening service remembers, celebrates life
Bishop issues 5 key factors for future of Great Plains Conference
Bishop tells ordinands: 'Love Jesus, love people'
Conference votes to keep health allowance
Final totals for special offerings is in
Conference contributes to UMCOR resources
Connection strong, even after accident
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Great Plains New Church Incubator 2017-18 enrollment now open
CORE Crucible seeking participants for 2017-18
Karges to lead Track 1 for Center for Pastoral Effectiveness
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Lawrence First UMC member wins Angie Newman Award
Scholarships available for UM Youth Institute
Discipleship Ministries invites participation in wide range of webinars
MERCY & JUSTICE
Micah Corps intern reflects on conference, meeting elders
Commission on Religion and Race offers ministry grants
ADMINISTRATION
Nebraska UM Foundation offers ministry grants
Kansas UM Foundation announces June rates
Nebraska UM Foundation, St. Mark’s scholarship applications open
Is it time for new business cards?
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Nonagenarians are celebrated at Wichita church
Wichita church part of summer food program
Parsons District group celebrates Red Nose Day
IT infrastructure installation a success on the Africa University campus
In Other News
Newsletters
Blogs and Opinion
Classifieds
Topeka approved by conference members for new unified office
The history of the Great Plains Annual Conference will approach a major new chapter in 2018, when its three offices will be consolidated into one in Topeka.
Voters at the conference sessions in Grand Island last week overwhelmingly approved the recommendation by the conference Board of Trustees to have Kansas' capital city as its new home.
Read more about the vote and the decision, including the executive summary of the staffing consultant's report and the location consulting firm's findings.
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NUMB prepares for
22nd annual ride to feed the hungry
More than 135 bicycle riders have prepared to explore the wide-open plains of Nebraska as part of the 22nd annual Nebraska United Methodist Bike (NUMB) Ride for Hunger. This event regularly draws bicycle enthusiasts from across the country to ride for 250 miles on a circuit across the state.
Over its 22 years, the ride has raised more than $854,000 to feed the hungry in the state and around the world. The annual event was founded in 1996 by the Rev. Bill Ritter, Blue River District superintendent, and Greg Bakewell, a member of the United Methodist Church.
Read more about this year’s NUMB ride.
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Annual Conference 2017
Wednesday's opening service
remembers, celebrates life
The opening worship service of the Great Plains Annual Conference remembered the lives of 27 clergy and 31 spouses who had passed away since the last gathering, as well as celebrated new life with three baptisms. Read more about Wednesday's events.
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Bishop issues 5 key factors
for future of Great Plains Conference
In his first episcopal address to the Great Plains Annual Conference, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. outlined five key factors it needs to consider as the conference moves into the future. Read more about the bishop's challenges, as well as other news from the second day.
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Bishop tells ordinands:
'Love Jesus, love people'
In a sermon frequently punctuated with humor, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. told newly minted elders and provisional elders in the United Methodist Church that they were entering “adventurous times” in the history of the church. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked with a laugh. Read more about the ordination services and other Friday events.
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Conference votes to
keep health allowance
Given an option to return to a group health insurance plan, the conference voted to keep its current health care allowance system next year during a vote on the final day of the conference. Read more about the final day's decisions.
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Final totals for
special offerings are in
The final totals are in for special offerings during the Annual Conference sessions:
Refugee support -- $4,951.30
School partnerships -- $6,826.99
Youth Service Fund -- $7,507.87
UMCOR relief kits -- $11,595
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Conference contributes
to UMCOR resources
Relief kits for UMCOR got a big boost thanks to contributions from those attending the Great Plains Annual Conference sessions last week.
The Rev. Hollie Tapley, disaster response coordinator, reports that 2,847 health kits, 114 cleaning buckets, 1,493 school kits, 134 layette kits and 17 bedding kits were contributed last week.
They are headed for the UMCOR Depot in Salt Lake City.
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Connection strong,
even after accident
The ties of being a Great Plains Annual Conference United Methodist were strong last week, even before the first sessions began.
About noon last Wednesday, a lay member from the Parsons District was involved in a car accident near York, Nebraska, en route to the sessions in Grand Island. One of the first responders was a member of First UMC in York, knew where the driver was headed, and called Sue Marsh, the secretary at his church, who called the Parsons office.
Jane Reeves, administrative assistant at the Parsons office, gave the cellphone number of the man’s pastor, who was contacted just as he was south of York. He was able to get to the emergency room to be with his parishioner. His car was declared totaled, but the driver was treated and released, and was able to make it to the Annual Conference sessions.
“Thankful for the connectional system that brought just the right first responder to the scene of the accident, then for Sue and her connecting with me,” Reeves wrote in an email.
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Clergy Excellence
Great Plains New Church Incubator 2017-18 enrollment now open
Great Plains New Church Development is glad to announce dates and speakers for 2017-18 Church Planter Incubator.
This year’s planting experts include the Rev. Jacob Armstrong (pictured), founding pastor of Providence UMC in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Armstrong is the recent author of the book, “The New Adapters.” He will assist pastors and laity in attendance to begin their first 100 days as a planter by making connections in the community, faith sharing and staying connected to God while in the mission field. Potential planters, exploring senior pastors who’d like to plant a satellite congregation and lay people who would like to learn more about church planting leadership will leave with concrete goals to go back and work in their mission field.
This first retreat will be at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Retreat dates and times are 8:30 a.m. to approximately 7 p.m. July 21 and 8:30 a.m. to noon July 22.
Other dates and retreats include a Discipleship Launch Pad with Dr. Phil Maynard, which will be hosted by Christ UMC in Lincoln, Nov. 3-4. This retreat is open to teams participating to benefit the whole church as you will leave this session with a discipleship system idea in hand to impact your church and greater community.
For the second year, New Church Development will be hosting an opportunity for planters to pitch plant ideas during a Shark Tank on Dec. 12 in Salina. This is an opportunity for congregations and individuals with a dream to plant in one of the Great Plains mission fields to test their idea of creating a new faith community before panels that include current planters, entrepreneurs and New Church Development Board members. In order to pitch ideas, participants will need to have participated in a previous Church Planter Incubator or participate in this year’s incubator.
Other speakers this year include the Rev. Adam Hamilton, Church of the Resurrection, 2018 winter session; and Dr. Iosmar Alvarez, Fuente de Avivamiento, Lexington, Kentucky, in March 2018.
Registration is free with room and board provided. Mileage is considered the registration unless there are extreme cases of mileage which can be partially reimbursed.
Contact the Rev. Nathan Stanton for more information or register online. Registration deadline is July 6.
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CORE Crucible seeking
participants for 2017-18
Great Plains New Church Development will be running the CORE Crucible process of planting new faith communities for the third year. The CORE Crucible provides new church leaders, Hispanic ministry leaders and Campus Ministry leadership the opportunity to forge and reshape the DNA of the church in a nine-retreat, year-long process. Participants in the CORE Crucible participate in a community of practice emphasizing the development of a core leadership team, covenant building, understanding the context of the community, assessing and developing values, vision and mission and transformation of the community in which you are planted or in ministry.
The CORE Crucible is meant to be a deep dive into the work of church planting, personal leadership development and care and accountability for the long challenging journey of community transformation.
This ministry is fully supported through New Church Development. Room, board and mileage will be provided. However, since this is a covenant community participants are expected to participate in the whole process when enrolled.
Each potential planter or pastor is invited to explore this process by checking with your district superintendent as well as connecting with the Rev. Nathan Stanton, nstanton@greatplainsumc.org or 316-684-0266.
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Karges to lead Track 1 for
Center for Pastoral Effectiveness
The Rev. Kelly Karges, senior pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island, is scheduled to lead the next Track I for the Center for Pastoral Effectiveness of the Rockies beginning this fall.
Karges has been a United Methodist elder since 1986. He was introduced to Bowen’s Family Systems theory in seminary at Duke and participated in a two-year pilot training by the Menninger School of Psychiatry and Mental Health Services in Omaha. He has taken part in John Winn’s Center for Pastoral Effectiveness in Louisiana, and was co-creator of Introduction to Family Systems retreats for probationary elders through Nebraska Wesleyan University.
He has facilitated 10 years of post-Center coaching groups for support, personal growth and genogram work and has shadowed Bill Selby in six Track l centers with a future plan of leading centers.
“Being in the process of a Center, learning family systems theory and applying it to my life and the life of the church has been a life changer for me,” Karges said. “I'm not sure I'd still be in the ministry if it was not for this process. This stuff works. Now I feel it is a part of my calling to follow in Bill's footsteps and begin teaching Track Ones for the Center. I hope you will consider joining me this fall.”
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Equipping Disciples
Lawrence First UMC member
wins Angie Newman Award
Rose Schmidt of First United Methodist Church in Lawrence received the Angie Newman Award during the laity session of the 2017 annual conference for her efforts to feed people in need in the Lawrence area and beyond
The Angie Newman Award honors a laywoman of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church whose contribution to the church and the community is an example of the spirit of Angie Newman.
Newman (1833-1910) was active at many levels in the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC), the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the MEC, the Woman’s Home Missionary Society of the MEC and the WCTU. In 1888, Angie was the first woman elected as a delegate to General Conference. While she and other women were denied seats on the floor, they made their presence known and worked so that women would have the privilege of voice and vote at General Conference.
The ministry of the recipient of this award should demonstrate commitment, compassion and a sense of justice for all people, especially women, youth and children.
“In many ways, Rose exemplifies the spirit of Angie Newman,” Courtney Fowler, conference lay leader, said in announcing the award. “The person who nominated Rose stated, ‘Rose always keeps the big picture in the forefront. She is not afraid to tackle a project that seems insurmountable at first and always manages to make it doable. During her presence at Lawrence First UMC, she has shown a deep commitment to furthering her walk with God and serving others as a true disciple of Christ.’”
Schmidt has served as chairperson of the Mission & Justice Team of her church, helping provide numerous ministries that respond to the needs of the homeless and hungry, including providing a free breakfast program, assisting homeless families, and providing food through the Inter-denominational Nutrition Kitchen and the Inter-faith Food Pantry. She also works with the local farmes market during the summer months.
Also, as a past board member, chaplain and vice president of the United Methodist Women, she has encouraged UMW participation in ministries that respond to the needs of women through the Women’s Fresh Start Project. This program identifies and enrolls individuals who are in transition, homeless, under or unemployed, or who are caught in the cycle of poverty. She also has been involved with children at risk by meeting with school administrators and counselors to help identify how the church could best respond to the needs of children. She is also a Reading Buddy at one of the local elementary schools.
Schmidt represents her church as the board member of Justice Matters, a local interfaith community advocacy group. Through this group, she helps organize her congregation’s participation in advocating for children at risk of adverse childhood trauma, affordable housing, comprehensive mental health services, solutions to racial/ethnic issues in the local schools, and alternatives to incarceration.
Schmidt has also sought to build relationships with members of the local African Methodist Episcopal church by helping form a group with the A.M.E church whose purpose is to network and increase racial understanding. Rose attends the A.M.E. church at least once a month, is a regular attendee of the local NAACP branch and serves as chair of the Health Committee.
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Scholarships available
for UM Youth Institute
Scholarships are available to for attendees of the United Methodist Youth Institute, through the Ethnic Minority Local Church Fund of the former Kansas East Conference.
To be eligible, ethnic minority youth need to attend a church that was part of the former Kansas East Conference to be considered for a scholarship. For more details contact James Rickner at Camp Chippewa, 785-242-6797.
For more than 100 years, young people have come to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, to United Methodist Youth Institute to learn about Jesus Christ and grow their faith. Institute is a covenant faith community that is intentional about helping young people form their faith, empower their leadership, and grow in their love of God. Institute has youth and adult leadership, small groups and worship experiences.
This summer, UMY Institute will gather on the Baker University campus from July 17-22. The theme for this summer is “Branching Out.” Youth who have completed the eighth grade through seniors graduating this year are eligible to attend Institute this summer. Institute is a ministry of Great Plains Camps and is a summer offsite program of Camp Chippewa.
The full registration of $390 is due July 1.
Register by clicking this link.
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Discipleship Ministries invites participation in wide range of webinars
Discipleship Ministries has released a full schedule of online workshops aimed at helping clergy and laity grow in leadership and discipleship.
Full descriptions and registrations for all webinars listed below at www.umcdiscipleship.org/webinars. All times are Central.
- Sermons that Communicate Good News – 10 a.m. June 28.
- Conference and district lay leaders: What do I Need to Know? – 6:30 p.m. July 5.
- Nominations and Leadership Development: What is My Role? – 7 p.m. July 11.
- The Annual Campaign Toolbox – 6:30 p.m. July 13.
- A Good Death: What Church Leaders Need to Know about Death Preparation for Older Adults – 10 a.m. Aug. 4.
- Tuesday Tea with Melanie: Embracing Children and Families in the Disciple-Making Process – 11:30 a.m. Aug. 15.
- Funding Ministry with Five Loaves and Two Fish – 10 a.m. Sept. 7.
- Tuesday Tea with Melanie: Continuing Series on Embracing Children and Families in the Disciple-Making Process – 11:30 a.m. Sept. 12.
- Getting Started for Charge Conference: Who, What, Why, When, How? – 7 p.m. Sept. 12.
- Where to Begin in Boomer Ministry and Advanced Boomer Ministry – 10 a.m. Oct. 6.
- Community Transformation: Leading Ministry and Gentrification – 7 p.m. Oct. 10.
- Tuesday Tea with Melanie: Continuing Series on Embracing Children and Families in the Disciple-Making Process – 11:30 a.m. Oct. 17.
- Tuesday Tea with Melanie: Continuing Series on Embracing Children and Families in the Disciple-Making Process – 11:30 a.m. Nov. 7.
- Giving Beyond the Budget – 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9.
- Spiritual Leadership Practices: Living into God’s Vision – 7 p.m. Nov. 14.
- Beyond the Worship Wars: Older Adults Worship Differently – 10 a.m. Dec. 1.
- Tuesday Tea with Melanie: Continuing Series on Embracing Children and Families in the Disciple-Making Process – 11:30 a.m. Dec. 5.
Mercy & Justice
Micah Corps intern reflects
on conference, meeting elders
Austin Wall, one of the Micah Corps interns, reflects on the last few days.
Hello, my name is Austin Wall. I am from Nashville, Tennessee, and I am on the immigration team for the 2017 Micah Corps internship program. This last week we went to Annual Conference and then my group went to First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Nebraska. At both, we met amazing people who shared their stories and time with us and we as a team left blessed because of that. During Annual Conference, we met with Susan Burton from the General Board of Church and Society. She talked with us about why she is passionate about helping women and girls thrive through advocating for improving access to healthcare. Her story fits well with the Micah Corps mentality, to do justice by looking at the systemic reasons behind injustice. After meeting with Susan, we joined her at the mission lunch. I was very impressed with the outpouring of support among fellow United Methodists for protecting Medicaid and ensuring that the “least of these” are given fair access to life-giving medical care. Many participants wrote letters to their senators in Kansas and Nebraska which we will be able to hand-deliver later this month when we attend a seminar at GBCS.
This past Sunday, after being able to share in an uplifting worship service led by the Rev. Anne Gahn from First UMC in Lexington, we visited an assisted-living facility and worshipped with some of the residents. Participating in sacred conversations with the residents at Brookdale Assisted Living was a treat. We heard about some of the demographic changes that Lexington has gone through in the past from the people that witnessed it! The residents were open with us about the struggles and blessings that community has had in recent years. Lexington has a very diverse population with more than 40 different nationalities represented and over 20 different languages spoken. Being on the immigration team with Micah Corps, I was inspired after hearing their testimony of creating a welcoming community and their honesty about their journey toward welcoming the stranger. This week has been an affirmation of why I chose to join Micah Corps, to learn to love others more fully by seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with my God (Micah 6:8).
Please like us on Facebook at “Micah Corps” and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at “@micahinterns.”
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Commission on Religion
and Race offers ministry grants
Religion and Race understands that real change starts with you! If you have an idea or project that will disrupt racism and xenophobia in your community and you are part of a UMC Church or UMC organization in the United States, apply for the CORR Action Fund grant.
Learn more about past CORR Action Fund recipients. Grants will be for up to $35,000 for up to 24 months beginning February 2018. Applications will be accepted online through Sept. 15.
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Administration
Nebraska UM Foundation
offers ministry grants
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation announces a ministry grant opportunity available to Nebraska churches and affiliated agencies of the Great Plains Annual Conference.
The Foundation is able to award these grants due to the generosity of donors to the foundation’s Gifts From the Heart Endowment Fund. These grant dollars are available to enhance and expand ministries. The ultimate goal of these awards is to provide assistance, both for new ministries and thriving ministries wishing to grow.
These grants are made only for programs and activities and include operating expenses and supplies necessary for those programs or activities. They are not made for building repair, replacement or expansion.
The application deadline is Sept. 30. For application materials and more information, visit http://www.numf.org/churches/grants.html.
For questions about the application process, call 877-495-5545.
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Kansas UM Foundation
announces June rates
A Certificate of Participation is an investment in building the United Methodist witness through the Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation’s loan program for Kansas United Methodist churches and agencies. A Certificate of Participation is a time investment. An individual or church may invest a minimum of $1,000 for one- or two-year participation so that you may strengthen the expansion of the United Methodist witness.
Certificate of Participation June rate: One-year: 1.20%; Two-year: 1.50%
To learn more how you may increase your investments at the same time expanding the United Methodist witness, download promotional material for your church such as flyers, postcards or newsletter/bulletin ads, go to http://www.kaumf.org or call 1-888-453-8405.
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Nebraska UM Foundation, St. Mark’s scholarship applications open
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation has scholarship applications available online for seminary students and students pursuing a career in church leadership at www.numf.org/scholarships.
Application deadline is June 30.
Through this program, the Foundation awards nearly $25,000 in scholarship funds. We are pleased to be able to administer these scholarships to individuals who are members of a Nebraska United Methodist Church and pursuing a degree for service in the Great Plains Conference.
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation would like to acknowledge the generous gifts donors have made to make these scholarships possible. Thank you for being our partner in ministry. If you would like to talk to someone about how you can honor the memory of a loved one through a named scholarship or provide further financial assistance for a seminary student, please call the Foundation at 877-495-5545.
St. Mark’s United Methodist Church Foundation in Lincoln has scholarship applications available for seminary students and undergraduate students pursuing a career in church leadership for the 2017-2018 academic school year.
The St. Mark’s UMC Foundation currently has three separate scholarships available ranging in awards from $1,000 to $10,000 per academic year. The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation is pleased to partner with St. Mark’s UMC by making this scholarship packet available online at www.numf.org/scholarships. Deadline for application is June 30.
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Is it time for new
business cards?
|
If you are in need of business cards, send your name, church or agency affiliation, address, phone numbers, email and website to Roxie Delisi at rdelisi@greatplainsumc.org.
She will be placing a bulk order in the next few days, so now is a great time to place your order and receive your business cards quickly. The cost is approximately $35 for 500 cards.
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Across the Connection
Nonagenarians are
celebrated at Wichita church
After discovering that 28 members of the church are over the age of 90, Woodland United Methodist Church in Wichita decided to celebrate and honor them as part of a child-led Pentecost celebration.
The sanctuary was decorated with doves, flames and red banners as the children read stories of the Holy Spirit stretching back to the Creation. After worship, the children delivered corsages to the honored 90-somethings at an all-church potluck. It was a great way to celebrate the longevity of the Holy Spirit and Woodlawn’s most faithful church members!
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Wichita church part
of summer food program
In response to a call from the Kansas State Department of Education for Kansas organizations to raise the levels of children being fed outside of the school year, Woodland United Methodist Church in Wichita applied and received approval as a site for the FDA's Summer Food Service Program.
The program is offered as part of Woodlawn’s larger summer program, GoZones Camp, which runs every Wednesday evening during the summer months. Children ages 1-18 years are offered a free supper and the church is reimbursed for the cost of the meal as well as administrative costs. There is no preregistration requirement, and those who come for the meal are also invited to stay and be a part of the fun.
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Parsons District group
celebrates Red Nose Day
The Parsons District Care and Share (District Council on Ministry) met on Thursday, May 25, for its monthly fellowship dinner and meeting at the Howard United Methodist Church in Howard, Kansas. During their meeting they celebrated Red Nose Day.
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IT infrastructure installation a success on the Africa University campus
During four weeks in May, Africa University (AU) and General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) staff worked on a project to upgrade the technology infrastructure on the Africa University campus in Mutare, Zimbabwe. In addition to celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2017, the campus received an upgrade of information technology hardware.
Five GCFA staff members – Michael Dunn, Stephen Pace, Dale Owens, Shannon Lavrin and Derek Preston -- worked on the project. The installation work was carried out by teams from Africa University and GCFA and a team of local workers coordinated by campus personnel. Working together with Richard Fotsin, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Director at AU, the team installed all the infrastructure needed.
Vice Chancellor Professor Munashe Furusa of Africa University said, “The Africa University community would like to share its heartfelt gratitude for the amazing work accomplished through the Gate2Cross Project geared to enable a more impactful learning and research experience for the AU community. We are excited to say that we have seen great changes in the functioning of the ICT systems on campus.”
This project, initiated with a conversation between AU Vice Chancellor Furusa and GCFA General Secretary Moses Kumar during the 2016 General Conference, provides the opportunity for AU to continue its path of being the premier university in the area. Support of AU comes from the AU apportioned fund, and generous donations from individuals, conferences and churches.
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In Other News
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Newsletters
Blogs and Opinion
- Small church as a surrogate family: The Rev. Lewis Parks (pictured), author of “Small on Purpose,” writes that small churches offer surrogate families for those whose basic family unit is dispersed or in need of wider circles of enforcement. He adds that they are not unlike the houses churches of the New Testament era.
- VIDEO – Why the church will stay united: Florida Area Bishop Ken Carter offers the seven reasons he believes The United Methodist Church will stay united. He is a moderator on the Commission on a Way Forward as well as president-elect of the Council of Bishops.
- Bishop reflects on gun violence: Bishop Peggy Johnson reminds United Methodists that June is gun-violence awareness month. “I believe it is important for our churches to teach about this epidemic and promote healthy ways of preventing senseless harm,” writes the bishop, who leads the Eastern Pennsylvania and Peninsula-Delaware conferences.
- Christian ethics in volatile times: What should a United Methodist do when there is a conflict between church law and moral conscience? The Rev. Darryl W. Stephens looks at how that question has been answered in the denomination’s history.
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Classifieds
Submit a classified and view other ads at greatplainsumc.org/classifieds.
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