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Download the printable version of the Aug. 9 issue of GPconnect.

In this edition:

ANNOUNCEMENTS
GP to ‘Pray Our Way Forward’ during first week of September
Camp Fontanelle shows record-breaking numbers
Haysville UMC welcomes congregation back to sanctuary

CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Culture of Call can be any vocation
Scholarship provides $1.66M to help clergy avoid debt

EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Exploration conference offers insight into call to ministry
October is domestic violence awareness month; prepare with online workshop

MERCY & JUSTICE
Micah Corps interns enjoy monumental time in D.C.
What we need to know about immigrants
Using our voice: working towards God’s vision

ADMINISTRATION
Nebraska UM Foundation’s ministry grant deadline is Sept. 30
University Senate commemorates its 125th anniversary

ACROSS THE CONNECTION
South Hutch UMC celebrates 70 years serving at state fair
Church of the Resurrection baptizes at KC’s Healing House
Winfield church staff member becomes author
In other news
Newsletters
Blogs and opinions
Classifieds 

 

GP to ‘Pray Our Way Forward’
during first week of September

The Great Plains Conference and the United Methodist Church are seeking your participation in calling on the Holy Spirit for discernment for our denomination and for the Bishops’ Commission on a Way Forward.

As you likely are aware, the Council of Bishops assembled a commission to study the way human sexuality is addressed in our Book of Discipline. The commission’s work will be shared at a special session of General Conference in 2019 in St. Louis.

Sept. 3-9, the Great Plains Conference has been urged to focus on this issue in a prayer initiative titled “Praying Our Way Forward.” Resources for prayer and reflection are being developed and will be available prior to that week, but the process for signing up for times to pray is under way. As a conference, our goal is to ensure people are praying daily for the commission and for the denomination, and during the Sept. 3-9 time frame, a secondary goal is to have at least one person praying all 24 hours of those days.

Click on this site and make your commitment to pray. Sign up for as many one-hour blocks as you feel called to pray.

Churches and lay leaders, your help in announcing this effort and helping people who are not computer-savvy sign up for times would be much appreciated.

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Camp Fontanelle shows
record-breaking numbers

The Camp Fontanelle summer season has come to an end. The grounds are now quiet and there seems to be an emptiness in the 192 acres.

But it was a wonderful season at Camp Fontanelle. There was a week when there were 128 campers on site. That number was 20 percent higher than any week in the history of the camp. God was present with those (and all) campers in 2017.

This summer saw the greatest number of campers to have an opportunity to meet God at camp. The most campers in the history of the camp, God took the opportunity to work in the lives of campers while experiencing all that Camp Fontanelle has to offer.

For a second year, Camp Fontanelle was asked to learn how lives had been impacted by their experience at camp. Not counting the adult-and-child camps, campers were asked how camp impacted in strengthening their relationship with God.

One hundred and forty campers said that they accepted Christ for the first time. There were 205 who said they had rededicated their life to Christ while at camp. When asked if they felt a call to ministry as a pastor, 72 said they felt God calling them. Through prayer and praise, 153 campers said they wanted to go back to their church and serve in a greater capacity.

Please pray for all of the church camps. Pray for the churches that had campers attend a church camp session that they may find a place for the camper to serve. Especially pray for the campers, that their faith may continue to grow; pray that their relationship with God deepens and they take their new or revitalized energy to be a great servant to our Lord.

This is why we do camp; with God’s help, we have an opportunity to impact lives for the transformation of the world. And their spark may happen while zipping on a zipline or rope and harness tree climbing at camp! Camp Fontanelle lived their mission in impacting lives through an intentional Christian community. Look for great things to come!

-- Jane Van Horn, camp coordinator

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Haysville UMC welcomes
congregation back to sanctuary

With breakfast, butterflies and its praise band, Kansas’ Haysville United Methodist Church welcomed its congregation back to its nearly 50-year-old sanctuary with a combined service Sunday. The renovations in the sanctuary – including a new ceiling, remodeled chancel and video projection system – came on the fly after roof repair shook asbestos from the ceiling and a change needed to be made.

Read more about Haysville and its reopening celebration.

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Clergy Excellence

Culture of Call
can be any vocation

Creating a Culture of Call means that the behaviors, beliefs and attitudes of your congregation/community readily support the members of the community to identify and explore a call by God to serve God as a lay, licensed or ordained person. Not everyone who feels a call will work in a church, but as everyone seeks to live out his or her faith more deeply, we pray that everyone will consider their work in the world, and even their everyday interactions with other people, to be an opportunity to live out God’s call.

Check out our featured resource identifying your spiritual gifts.

The second deadline for Culture of Call grants is Sept. 15. Find out more information at www.greatplainsumc.org./cocgrant. Apply now at www.greatplainsumc.org/cocgrantapplication.

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Scholarship provides
$1.66M to help clergy avoid debt

The Office of Loans and Scholarships at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), a center for leadership development across the denomination, has awarded more than $1.66 million to 206 recipients of the Excellence in Clergy Leadership Scholarship. The scholarship was created to help United Methodist clergy avoid excessive educational loan debt, minimize financial stress and build financial acumen.

Each recipient is awarded amounts ranging from $2,500 to $12,500. The scholarship recipients represent 47 of the 57 United Methodist Annual Conferences. Funding for the scholarship comes from matching donors — GBHEM, the Lilly Endowment, the 13 United Methodist seminaries/schools of theology, and participating United Methodist Annual Conferences and Foundations. The donations included: $480,000 from GBHEM, $252,000 from the Lilly Endowment, $267,500 from Annual Conferences, $127,500 from United Methodist foundations and $532,500 from the 13 United Methodist seminaries.

GBHEM, Wespath Benefits and Investments (formerly the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits) and the National Association of United Methodist Foundations partnered to apply for a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to address economic challenges facing pastoral leaders, which includes funding for the scholarship and other initiatives.

The scholarship is designed for full-time Master of Divinity students attending one of the 13 United Methodist seminaries/schools of theology. The recipients are also certified candidates for ministry (elder or deacon) or pursuing certified candidacy in The United Methodist Church. The Excellence in Clergy Leadership Scholarship is based on merit, leadership capacity, financial need, and the recipients must demonstrate how the scholarship will help them avoid additional student loans.

More information is available here.

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Equipping Disciples

Exploration conference offers
insight into call to ministry

Are you or do you know a college student or other young adult who has the gifts for and a possible call to ministry? Consider attending Exploration, a three-day event for young adults aged 18-26 to hear, discern and respond to God’s call to ordained ministry and to explore their gifts for service as a deacon or elder in The United Methodist Church.
 
The details:

  • It’s held in Portland, Oregon, Nov. 3-5, 2017, for anyone aged 18-26
  • Registration is $250 but $225 scholarships are available if you register by Sept. 15, and includes hotel, food and ground transportation into addition to the conference attendance. A late registration fee will be added after Sept. 15, and the registration scholarship will no longer be available.
  • Air transportation will be covered by the Great Plains Conference if you book your flight by Sept. 22 (while funds last … see below* for guidelines)
  • It’s a potentially life-changing opportunity to be open to or get direction in God’s call in the context of other young adults, ministries of the church and campus ministers!
  • Before Sept. 15: contact your Great Plains United Methodist Campus Minister to register. If you’re not a college student or for any other questions, contact the Rev. Ashlee Alley at aalley@greatplainsumc.org.

 
*Air transportation will be covered up to $550/person for best available flights booked by Sept. 22, and receipt forwarded to aalley@greatplainsumc.org. Transportation to the departing airport will be the responsibility of the individual or sending campus ministry. There is a limited amount of funding for travel scholarships. Flights should be booked to arrive no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3 and leave no earlier than 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5.

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October is domestic violence awareness month; prepare with online workshop

Domestic violence occurs in all communities, regardless of a person’s age, ethnicity, or socio-economic status, and the physical, mental and spiritual effects of such violence can be devastating. Do you know how to spot the signs and act to help someone in your church or community? An online workshop by Dr. Martha Banks is being hosted at BeADisciple.com which looks at domestic violence from a Christian standpoint and will help churches, clergy and individuals recognize signs of domestic abuse and support victims in their community.
 
Cost is $45 for this comprehensive two-week course. Class starts on Monday, Sept. 11. Learn more and enroll here.

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Mercy & Justice

Micah Corps interns enjoy
monumental time in D.C.

 
While in Washington D.C. this summer, the Micah Corps worked very hard meeting with our senators, meeting with experts in social justice, and attending rallies for topics that align with our United Methodist social principles. But, that doesn’t mean we didn’t find time for some sightseeing too!
 
One of the things we made sure to do was visit our national monuments, museums and other prominent places in our capital such as the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, the Capitol Building (home of our Congress) as well as important museums pertaining to social justice issues like the National Museum of African-American History, the National Museum of the American Indian and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
 
Environment Intern Paige Thompson said “while in Washington D.C., I fell in love with the whole city. It was so empowering to see all the monuments while walking the national mall. Just to know all the history behind each one brought my heart closer to the true meaning of being an American.”
 
The National Museum of African American History was particularly a favorite for the group. Food Security Intern Kidest Ketema says “I liked it because it showed the gradual changes made throughout history as you started at the earliest time period and worked up the floors to modern day” and her topic partner Mary Korch emphasized that the “museum brought the tragedies to life that are causally discussed in grade school. It felt like you time traveled through hundreds of years.”
 
As avid museumgoers, the Micah Corps also enjoyed visiting the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum.
 
Environment Intern David Emile appreciated that “it showed the struggle of a group of people in Europe, and around the world, and mirrors in some ways what is happening today specifically with the travel ban. History is repeating itself and it is our duty as Christians to stand against the injustice.”
 
The National Museum of the American Indian also reflected the historical mistreatment of people groups. Immigration Intern Austin Wall thought that the American Indian museum was very cool because “the Our Universes section of the museum showed how at one given time in a society, there can be very different understandings of how the world is and how that is expressed differently through various religious practices.”
 
Experiencing various aspects of our nation’s history through museum exploration was very impactful, especially in our capitol alongside the work we were doing with the General Board of Church and Society utilizing our Social Principles. But, we also had a good time exploring the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the Supreme Court, the Capitol Building, White House and the Library of Congress. Did you know? The current Supreme Court building that we use today wasn’t completed until 1935! We also got a tour of the Capitol Building, just across the street from the General Board of Church and Society and learned that in the very center of the building is a piece of marble on the floor that congress people used to rub with the toe of their shoe for good luck!
 
Peace and Non-Violence Intern Nabii Gatobu said of the Capitol Building that “it surprisingly reminded me a lot of Rome. I thought the art was beautiful I could stare at that place for days!”
 
Children in Poverty Intern Millie Flores liked the Washington Monument for its symbolism. “No other building can be taller than it and it’s meant to be seen from anywhere in the city” she learned.

Overall, our experiences in Washington D.C. were so beneficial for all of us. The ability to match our work during the day with fun activities such as our museum going and monument visiting supplemented our learning and work about social justice by providing a great atmosphere to learn about our nation’s history in our off time. Many of this year’s Micah Corps Interns look forward to visiting D.C. again whether it’s to see the sights and/or continue our ministry in the work of social justice!

-- Deb Metcalf, Micah Corps co-coordinator

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What we need to
know about immigrants

There are so many things people need to know about immigrants and the reason why they come to the U.S. Taking the time to really think about “Immigration” and how these people contribute to the American economy and the society as a whole, can help people to be more understanding of their situation.
 
People come to the U.S. for various reasons and some of them come because they believe that their lives will be better in the United States. Others are trying to save their lives because of some problems that are happening in their countries such as: job shortage, famine, war, political issues, lack of freedom, persecution, etc. Some people come so they can live with their family and apply for jobs, others want to have a better education so they can provide for themselves and people that they love.
 
Immigrants also have a huge impact in the society because there is so much diversity. People are from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds, races, religions, ethnicities etc. and that is what makes America great -- its great diversity. Many crimes are committed against immigrants and some of the reasons can be the “fear of the unknown.” People can fear something because they don’t understand it, or they don’t know how to interpret it. It is important to realize that violence is never the key to a solution. Instead, trying to find a peaceful way to address the situation will be more beneficial for everybody because one thing is for sure, when one person is hurt another person is hurt as well. Immigrants who are being abused physically or emotionally also have family waiting for them and as human beings it’s important to respect people, it’s important to respect life.
 
When we focus on what immigrants bring to the U.S., we can see that they have enriched the American culture. Immigrants bring talents, new ideas and knowledge in the workplace. They bring another culture, another language and a different way of thinking in the society. They show that they are hard workers because they came to the U.S. for a reason. They create jobs because they are also entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, ministers, parents, etc. They also invest in the global economy, they hire and train people in the workplace and they also share their knowledge. Yes, immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy. Many times immigrants are being stereotyped and it is important for people to realize that they also have something to offer. 
 
Violence and injustice against immigrants show that the situation is not being carefully addressed. It is understandable that people want to protect their countries and their borders; however, people should try to find a solution without destroying families and ruining the opportunities that people have. We were created by God and as “People of God” we must be more considerate toward others and also try to walk a mile in their shoes. In the Bible (Leviticus 19:33-34) it says, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you should be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”

Be compassionate with one another and think what will happen to children after their parents are deported, how they will receive emotional support and how will they perceive the society and people around them. What type of person will they become tomorrow if the persons that they loved were taken away from them? Sometimes people should take a step back and look at the whole situation and see how it will negatively affect other areas such as: jobs, economy, family, beliefs, and people's well-being.
 
Our United Methodist social principles say “We urge the Church and Society to recognize the gifts, contributions, and struggles of those who are immigrants and to advocate for justice for all.” (¶ 162)

-- Primerose Emile, Micah Corps intern

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Using our voice: working
towards God’s vision

While in Washington D.C., Micah Corps interns visited the offices of our senators from Kansas and Nebraska to advocate for immigrants and refugees. Working with Melissa Bowe from National Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) and with Rev. Jeania Ree Moore, director for civil and human rights with The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), they shared stories and encounters with immigrants and refugees as well as information about the contributions immigrants are making in our states. The staff from the senators listened and engaged in conversation. It was a powerful experience for the interns.
 
We encourage you all to make your voices heard. The Great Plains Immigration Rapid Response Team works closely with GBCS, National JFON, United Methodist Women, Church World Service and other groups. Currently, the RAISE Act (Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act) is being discussed which would have devastating consequences for millions of people. To read a commentary by Rev. John L. McCullough, United Methodist pastor and executive director of Church World Service, go to http://religionnews.com/2017/08/04/anti-immigrant-bill-runs-contrary-to-my-values-as-a-christian-and-an-american/
 
For more information on how to get involved in the Great Plains Conference Immigration Rapid Response Team, please contact Sandy Sypherd, ssypherd@windstream.net or Andrea Paret, amparet08@yahoo.com.

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Administration

Nebraska UM Foundation’s
ministry grant deadline is Sept. 30

 

The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation announces a ministry grant opportunity available to Nebraska churches and affiliated agencies of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference.
 
The Foundation is able to award these grants due to the generosity of donors to its Gifts from the Heart Endowment Fund. These grant dollars are available to enhance and expand your 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 the foundation’s website.
 
If you have questions about the application process or would like to talk to The Foundation about how you can help grow these types of grants, call 1-877-495-5545.

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University Senate commemorates
its 125th anniversary

The University Senate, established as the oldest educational accrediting agency in the United States, is commemorating its 125th anniversary. Since its founding, the University Senate has provided oversight for the requirements, fulfillment of those requirements, and general operational health of schools, colleges, universities and theological schools affiliated with The United Methodist Church.

The Senate recently convened for one of its two biannual meetings in Atlanta. During the meeting, the group acknowledged the longstanding history and work of the Senate throughout the years. At each convening, the two commissions composing the Senate, the Commission on Institutional Review and the Commission on Theological Education, discuss the standing of the 118 affiliated schools.

The Commission on Institutional Review is tasked with reviewing the program quality, sound management, institutional integrity and church relatedness of each of the schools, colleges and universities affiliated with the UMC at least once every 10 years.

Read more about University Senate’s anniversary.

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Across the Connection

South Hutch UMC celebrates
70 years serving at state fair

The South Hutchinson, Kansas, United Methodist Church is covered in flour: It drifts on the floors, over the tables and wafts onto the people creating white lines in their clothes. Children are running around with trays filled and empty. People are pounding balls of dough into smaller flattened pancakes, and laying them flat after they are cut. More people are cracking eggs, running drills, shaking out flour, bagging it up, footprints litter the floor out from every door. Why is this happening? 

It's noodle time!

The South Hutchinson UMC is ramping up work for its booth at the Kansas State Fair. For 10 days during the month of September, church members work to make it all happen. They make the noodles in July, bake the pies, fill the napkins, work in the booth selling chicken noodles, macaroni and cheese, hot beef sandwiches, broccoli slaw and more. 

It's hard work but worth it!

This year the church members will have the honor of being featured at the fair for a great milestone -- 70 years!!! The Lair White House a two-story structure that houses the State Fair Museum and it will be featuring the church booth in honor of being a long term vendor at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Please join the church at the fair Sept. 8-17 where you will eat some good food, browse through the collected memories at the Lair White House and celebrate some wonderful work.

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Church of the Resurrection
baptizes at KC’s Healing House

The Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, was recently part of a baptism of 80 people at Healing House in Kansas City. Here’s a video showing the baptisms and what difference the church has meant to the community.

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Winfield church staff
member becomes author

Can you picture a child who has fallen through the cracks? You know -- that student who makes your job 10 times harder, but it's impossible to stay mad because you know what darkness awaits him at home? Though we don’t quite know how to address it, there are kids like this in every church and I call them Bluebonnet Children. This is their book, and if you have a heart for kids, this books is for you. 

The renowned Bluebonnet flower grows in poor soil. One would never guess this to be true, but the bright, proud bonnet tells no lies. Not even unkempt soil can keep a Bluebonnet from producing its lovely blossoms. People can be similar to the Bluebonnet flower. They too can be born into poor soil with environmental and contextual challenges. Kids from neglectful or abusive families are called Bluebonnet Children. 

We are trained in Children’s and Family Ministry that the parent is the primary faith nurturer. But what happens to a child who does not have a healthy parent to nourish him?

While it is tempting to leave such work up to the professionals of the courtroom and counseling sessions, the faith community can also play a formative role and act as a supplemental family. This book offers helpful tools and inspiring stories to catalyze the entire congregation towards action. The tale of the Bluebonnet Child is heavy, but in Christ there is hope. 

“The Bluebonnet Child: Finding Grace in Poor Soil” is a ministry resource that guides readers to adopt the Triple-A Approach. With this approach, they can become more aware of the child’s story, advocate for her needs, and theologically articulate how the healing power of Christ is at work in her life. Each chapter is full of concrete examples and educational tactics that are immediately applicable in one's ministry setting. This is an intentionally short work (24,000 words) for the busy practitioner. 

The Bluebonnet Child brings a unique voice to the conversation on healing through trauma because it is written from a theological perspective, as opposed to an autobiographical, or psychological/ legal one. Its foundation is James 1:27 which calls the Body of Christ to care for the orphan, the loveless and the fatherless. Unlike similar reads, this book seeks to improve the systemic issues latent within Children’s Ministry programs. The author is well-versed in developing healthy volunteer -- the bedrock of a children’s ministry system. Regardless of a reader’s prior knowledge of theology, psychology, or educational theory, this book will hold his hand and lead him into the light of this dark work. Readers can also join an online class over the book at www.beadisciple.com and earn some CEUs. 

About the Author: Meggie Lee Calvin’s roots are in Texas, but she has served in the Sunflower State as the Director of Children’s and Family Ministry at First United Methodist Church of Winfield for nearly a decade. She has a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from Southwestern College of Kansas and a master's degree in children’s and family ministry from Bethel Seminary of Minnesota. She blogs at thebluebonnetchild.com. She and her husband spend most of their free time playing tag with their young daughter.

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In other news

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Newsletters

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Blogs and opinions

  • The best kept secret in the United Methodist Church?: The answer is Wespath. For most of her ministry, Iowa Conference Bishop Laurie Haller writes, she knew it as the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits. When she started out in ministry, she was given this sage advice, “You won’t get rich as a United Methodist pastor, but you will have always have some form of health insurance and a pension when you retire.” Last month, when her husband, Gary, received his first pension check from Wespath after retirement, all Haller could say was, “Hallelujah!”
  • Life as a Boy Scout chaplain: The Rev. John Partridge just spent two weeks living in a tent, sleeping on a cot and walking miles each day — and considers it one of the best times of his life. Partridge joined dozens of other pastors of all faiths as a chaplain for the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree. He shared his experience with the East Ohio Conference News. 

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Classifieds

Submit a classified and view other ads at greatplainsumc.org/classifieds.

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