Download the printable version of the Oct. 3 issue of GPconnect.
In this edition:
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Bishop halfway through town halls; Powerpoint now available
Conference journal available online; printed copies should be shipped soon
Study: Young clergy are in short supply, number of young women elders drops
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Judicial Council's Oct. 23 fall hearings will be livestreamed
Pension staff plans possible way forward, keep accrued benefits safe
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
World Communion Sunday offerings support racial-ethnic scholarships
Learn about Sacred Encounters, Fresh Expressions in Oct. 26 retreat
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Scary maze, treats search among fall events scheduled at Camp Fontanelle
MERCY & JUSTICE
Micah Corps interns engage with representatives and senators
ADMINISTRATION
Crisp retiring as Nebraska UM Foundation’s executive director
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Topeka church reaches new audience with Sunday evening service
Three churches, including UMC, thriving in tiny Nebraska town, population 70
Scottsbluff native, NWU professor, receives national recognition
In other news
Resources
Newsletters
Blogs and commentaries
The week ahead
Classifieds
Bishop halfway through town halls; Powerpoint now available
Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. is now halfway through his 18-city tour of town hall meetings in every district of the Great Plains Conference, explaining the three proposals regarding human sexuality that will be put before a special session of the General Conference in February.
More than 285 people attended the Prairie Rivers District town hall at Trinity Grand Island on Sunday, bringing the total attendees to more than 2,000 over the first nine sessions.
The Nebraska portion of the tour has concluded, and focus turns to Kansas for the remaining nine sessions. Three of those are this weekend, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at Wichita Chapel Hill UMC, followed at 3 p.m. by Wichita West Heights UMC and 3 p.m. Sunday at Hutchinson Trinity UMC.
The PowerPoint presentation made for the town hall meetings is now available online, as well as the handout given that summarizes the three proposals – One Church, Connectional and Traditional – in an easy-to-read format. The full 93-page report from the Commission on a Way Forward is also available.
New information – including prayers, Bible studies, videos, essays and reports – is available at our Forward in Unity page on the Great Plains Conference website.
A video of the bishop’s presentation will be provided on the conference website at the conclusion of the scheduled town hall meetings in mid-November.
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Conference journal available online; physical copies should be shipped soon
The 2018 Great Plains Conference Journals are nearly finished at the printer, so anyone who has ordered a printed copy should be receiving it within the next few weeks. If you still want to order a printed copy, go to this link and set up an account and order your journal or directory on the printer’s website.
The journal also is available in a digital format on our website for your use, free of charge.
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Study: Young clergy are in short supply, number of young women elders drops
Elders under age 35 continue to be rare in The United Methodist Church. And the number of young women elders has dropped for the past three years. Those are two findings of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership's 2018 clergy age trends study of the denomination.
Read more from the United Methodist News Service.
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General Conference
Judicial Council's Oct. 23
fall hearings will be livestreamed
The United Methodist Judicial Council will partner with United Methodist Communications to livestream oral hearings held during the Council’s fall meeting at the Placid Hotel in Zürich, Switzerland.
All of the oral hearings will take place Oct. 23, beginning at 8:30 a.m. CEST (Central European Summer Time) – 1:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time. The hearings will be open to the public and broadcast on the denomination’s website, www.UMC.org/live, as well as via Facebook at www.Facebook.com/resourceUMC.
Read more about the hearings.
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Pension staff plans possible way forward, keep accrued benefits safe
Whatever delegates decide at the 2019 special session of the General Conference, the denomination’s pension agency wants United Methodist clergy and lay workers to know their accrued benefits are safe. However, Wespath is looking at ways to deal with the uncertainty ahead.
Read more from the United Methodist News Service.
Uniting Methodists thanks African bishops for statement regarding homosexuality.
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Clergy Excellence
World Communion Sunday offerings support racial-ethnic scholarships
Rev. Nickie Moreno Howard was able to graduate from seminary and begin her ministry career thanks in part to the financial aid and mentoring she received from United Methodists who give generously each year on World Communion Sunday. World Communion Sunday is this weekend.
Read more from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
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Learn about Sacred Encounters,
Fresh Expressions in Oct. 26 retreat
Do you have a passion for people beyond the local church? Tired of typical “churchiness?” Is God calling you to create a new community of faith?
If you said “yes” to even one of the above questions, the Sacred Encounters: Meeting God's People Where They Live retreat is for you!
Sacred Encounters is a one-day retreat from 1-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at The 180 Room in Olathe.
The workshop will feature:
- Rev. Michael Beck, a national speaker for Fresh Expressions and a pastor of Wildwood UMC, a network of Fresh Expression communities
- Rev. Dr. Mike Graves, author and emeritus professor at Saint Paul School of Theology and an advocate for “Dinner Church”
- Rev. Lia McIntosh, missional strategist for the Missouri Conference.
With your $50 registration, you'll experience a content-rich, lively introduction to the Fresh Expressions movement that has captured the missional imagination of United Methodists around the world. Fresh Expressions is a movement that creates Christian communities with people who would never attend a regular church. Fresh Expressions have started in pubs, skateparks, living rooms and wherever people naturally gather for work, play and daily living.
Each of the day’s presenters will offer insight into creating sacred encounters within your community followed by a “dinner church” experience including a buffet catered by Joe’s Kansas City BBQ.
Hosted by Friends of Saint Paul School of Theology, the Sacred Encounters Retreat is endorsed by the Great Plains Conference and Saint Paul School of Theology and is supported in part by the Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation through the Pathways for Discipleship funds.
Join us to explore how God is calling you to the next step in your discipleship and ministry.
For more information and to register.
Download an event flier and schedule.
If you have any questions email Rena Yocom, renayocom@gmail.com.
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Equipping Disciples
Scary maze, treats search among fall events scheduled at Camp Fontanelle
It is that time of the year again when Camp Fontanelle gives you the opportunity to dress in costume and fit in with the crowd. You can choose how you want to dress -- do you want to dress as a Disney character, a famous person in history, or do you just want to throw a sheet over your head and dress as a ghost? Whatever you choose, make it fun!
The first opportunity to dress up is for the Scary Maze nights. If you are 18 and older and would like to help scare, contact Site Director Trent Meyer at 402-459-0686. It is a time for fun and a little bit of scaring as guests travel through the corn maze in the dark. Is it the rustling of the corn stalks they hear or is it someone getting ready to say “Boo!”
The Scary Maze Nights are Friday, Oct. 19 and 26 and Saturday, Oct. 20. Scaring starts at 7 p.m., and goes through 10 p.m. Volunteering is a great way to keep that connection with Camp Fontanelle.
One of the favorite fall activities is the Search for Treats in the Maze. With a paid entrance, guests walk through the maze trying to find people who are in the maze handing out treats. Either come dressed up and volunteer to pass out treats, or bring your family all dressed and ready to find some yummy treats.
Camp Fontanelle would like to have 25 stations in the maze passing out treats. Volunteers are asked to bring their own chair and at least 500 pieces of candy/treats to pass out. If you are able to help out, please contact Trent at 402-459-0686.
The Search for Treats will be on Oct. 21 and 28. “Treaters” will be in the maze from 2-4 p.m.
You can get in free to the maze by bringing in a new/unwrapped toy with a value of $5 or more on those two days. The first Search for Treats will benefit the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots campaign. Oct. 28 will offer the same value-free entrance for bringing a new/unwrapped toy valued at $5 of more. This day the toys will be for the Simon Says: Live a Better Life Foundation.
Camp Fontanelle has partnered with this new program which was founded when Simon Jones, a young man who loved camp, died from cancer. One of the projects that this foundation supports is birthday parties at the Open Door Mission on a monthly basis.
These two wonderful organizations need your support. Camp Fontanelle is proud to hold Search for Treats as a benefit to these two worthwhile organizations.
Bring your family, all dressed up in costume for a fun day at Search for Treats. All of the great activities will be offered on that day.
The last opportunity to dress up at Camp Fontanelle is for the 9th Annual Halloween Wilderness 5K Run/1.25 mile walk. Held on Saturday, Oct. 27, this fun run/walk will have you traversing the hills and trails out at Camp Fontanelle. You can still register and receive all of the benefits which include-a long sleeve t-shirt, lunch after the run/walk, awards for the winners of the different categories and free entrance to the corn maze and pumpkin patch that day. Register online at this link.
There is a lot to do in the fall out at Camp Fontanelle. The Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze is open now through Nov. 4. Friday hours are 4-7:30 p.m. This is a new venture, being open on Fridays. Come out and support the camp and have a blast! Saturdays and Sundays, the pumpkin patch and corn maze is open from 1-7p.
All of these events support ministry and programming at Camp Fontanelle. Being an intentional Christian community in all that is does is the mission. Being a place where you can feel God’s Presence and grow in your faith is an important component if its ministry.
To learn more about Camp Fontanelle, go to the website: campfontanelle.com.
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Mercy & Justice
Micah Corps interns engage
with representatives and senators
Ally Drummond, left, Tasho Mataswa, Nick Detter and Kailie Hamilton
Every summer, the Micah Corps interns learn and engage with different issues that impact God’s beloved children. And they take action and encourage others to do so too. In our United Methodist Social Principles, it says: “The strength of a political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens. The church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programs deemed to be just and opposing policies and programs that are unjust.” ¶164.B
Intern Kailie Hamilton shares about their meeting with U.S. Rep. Estes from Kansas. The interns also delivered more than 500 letters that delegates and guests had written during our Annual Conference in Wichita:
Throughout the summer we, the Micah Corps Interns, are reading a book about how the Gospel brings hope to a world divided. This book is called “The (Un)Common Good” by Jim Wallis. In chapter nine Wallis discusses how changing the political system is hard from the inside, when you’re in office, you represent so many people that the most you can really do is “tinker with the edges,” especially in our gridlocked congress.
However, when our political leaders are backed by movements led by the people they represent, it enables them to take strong stands and pass legislation that creates genuine change. It can be hard for us who live in the middle of America to relate to the leaders that represent us, or even feel like our thoughts are relevant to them. Although we have just as much power to contact them at home, it was a new experience to be able to travel with Micah Corps to D.C. to meet with our congressional representatives there. Two weeks before Micah Corps was scheduled to leave for D.C., we were able to secure a meeting with Kansas’ District 4 representative, Ron Estes. The three interns that currently live in District 4, Nick, Tasho and I, decided to meet with him over the timely issue of immigration. We prepared ourselves by doing mock meetings with our co-coordinator, and read material over immigration, as well as determining where Estes stood on the issue.
On the morning of Wednesday, June 27, the three of us showed up at his office in the nick of time after waiting through an abnormally long security line in the humid D.C. weather. Right off the bat, Estes engaged in discussion with us. He asked questions, made comments, and honestly listened to what we had to say. We were taken aback by how interactive he was, he even ignored five warnings for his next appointment to stay and speak to us. We had a couple of main discussion topics. The first one was letting a credible asylum claim for refugees be gang and domestic violence. This was a policy we’ve had in American that our attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recently got rid of. The second topic was humane treatment for children, adults, and families that are currently detained. This included some effective alternatives to detainment, making sure they have access to medical care, and not only keeping families together, but also not letting them be detained indefinitely. Estes may not have seen eye-to-eye with us the whole time, but he heard our side and presented his, and we were able to have real discussion over the matters. We were proud to tell him what the United Methodist Church was doing to help these immigrants when he questioned us on the matter. We used the word compassion to approach these issues and made it clear that these are values we hold dear because of the compassionate, loving example of Jesus Christ. I want to leave everyone with the confidence that your voice matters, that those who hold office will listen to you if you reach out to them, even if they disagree. Most importantly, you are empowered, we the people have the power to create movements backed in the love of our Savior. We are in a new day and age of activism, and I have hope that together we can raise our voice and create a lovely noise that our representatives will have no choice but to listen to. All it takes to get involved is reaching out to those who represent you and being aware of what’s happening in our world.
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Administration
Crisp retiring as Nebraska UM
Foundation’s executive director
After 10 years with the Nebraska United Methodist Foundation, the past eight as its executive director, Anita Crisp is announcing her retirement, effective Nov. 19.
Crisp said she’s proud that the assets of the foundation have grown from $24.6 million when she began to a current $44 million.
“We just worked really, really hard – and I know Jim (Heller, her predecessor) did too – getting out there and pounding the pavement and getting into churches,” she said. “I think I’ve seen the trust in the churches and the foundation grow – more in the last three to four years.”
Read more about Crisp’s retirement and her accomplishments.
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Across the Connection
Topeka church reaches new audience with Sunday evening service
Sunday morning isn’t the only time for church, the Rev. Sean O’Trimble says. That was the philosophy of a new Sunday evening service at Topeka Kansas Avenue United Methodist Church that he’s nicknamed “sleep-in church.”
The Well meets at 5:30 p.m., following a community meal.
“We need for church to be for the people and the culture. Sundays are times for people to rest and relax, so instead of having to hurry up, they can come as they are to an evening service in the arts district that caters to those who are willing to step out of what the norm was and try something different,” O’Trimble says in this story from Phil Anderson in the Topeka Capital-Journal.
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Three churches, including UMC, thriving in tiny Nebraska town, population 70
Three little churches, each of a different denomination, are surviving in their own ways in this tiny central Nebraska town, population 70. The United Methodist church is the smallest of the three, with 20 members of retirement age or older.
Erika Pritchard of the Grand Island Independent has the story.
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Scottsbluff native, NWU professor, receives national recognition
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for the United Methodist Church has selected Nebraska Wesleyan University professor Karla Jensen, a native of Scottsbluff, as an inaugural recipient of its Cutting-Edge Curriculum Award.
Read more from the Scottsbluff Herald.
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In other news
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Resources
Sociologist, pastor looks at divisive topic
The United Methodist Church is facing its most significant challenge since becoming a denomination 50 years ago. At the center of the debate is a polarizing difference of opinion – based largely on interpretations of the Bible and corresponding church doctrine – on human sexuality.
Dale McConkey is an associate professor of sociology at Berry College near Rome, Georgia, and is pastor of Mount Tabor United Methodist Church in Armuchee, Georgia. In this recently released book, "United Methodists Divided," he attempts to provide a balanced look at the progressive and traditionalist stances on homosexuality through the lenses of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral – scripture, tradition, experience and reason.
The book can be used as a guide, textbook or the basis for a small-group discussion, thanks to the inclusion of discussion questions found at the end of each of the six chapters.
Read the summary of the book.
Order your own copy.
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Giving your most effective speech in any setting
Speaking in public is intimidating. Best-selling author, influential preacher and noted speaker Rev. Adam Hamilton – founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood -- shares tips about preparing for and delivering the most effective sermon, speech or small group discussion. The secret? Asking the right questions first.
Read Hamilton’s advice, through United Methodist Communications.
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Newsletters
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Blogs and commentaries
- ‘Their silence fills the earth’: Dakotas-Minnesota Area Bishop Bruce R. Ough writes that no matter their political opinion on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, followers of Jesus can no longer remain silent about the sin of sexual assault and abuse or tolerate “boys will be boys” excuses. Ough quotes from Psalm 19 and says that the silence of the countless women and men who have been sexually abused “fills the earth.”
- A plea from a pastor: Talk about sexual assault in light of the recent Supreme Court nomination hearings has caused us all to rethink what we say and write – and especially what we preach, according to the Rev. David Livingston. “Words that a distant two years ago would have been seen as docile now cause people to leave churches -- I know, because two years ago that happened to me as well,” writes Livingston, senior pastor of Lenexa St. Paul’s UMC. “Pastors are told to ‘afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.’ We are in a time when everybody feels afflicted. The pastor now must choose between afflicting some of the afflicted more or just ignoring what lies outside the stained glass."
The week ahead
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Classifieds
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