Download the printable version of the March 18 issue of GPconnect.

In this edition:

THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Coronavirus brings out creativity, caring, compassion in GP churches
Tips for livestreaming or recording your worship services
In-person Laity Summit changes to become a free livestream this Saturday
Cancellations/postponements
Conference offices in Topeka closed, but phones will be answered
Bishop’s podcast series continues with Jesus’ love for mother, friend

GENERAL CONFERENCE
General Conference postponed among other May events in Minneapolis

CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Group offers workshops in conflict transformation, mediation training skills

EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Grant money available to churches, networks with ideas for new ministries

RESOURCES
In wake of virus, everything you need to know about e-giving

ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Former legislator was a 'force' in Church of the Resurrection, Hamilton says
In other news
Newsletters
Blogs and opinion
Classifieds

Coronavirus brings out creativity,
caring, compassion in GP churches

Necessity – the coronavirus pandemic that has brought a halt to public gatherings and limited crowd size – has birthed several inventive responses in the Great Plains Conference.

Pastors who had never tried livestreaming before are giving it a go in varied and unique ways, and churches are rethinking how they approach longtime traditions because of government restrictions.

Learn what clergy and churches are doing in the wake of the coronavirus crisis in a story that will regularly be updated with other inventive ways churches in the two-state area are reaching out. Please let us know what your church is doing!

Tips for livestreaming or
recording your worship services

With the limitations on the numbers of people who can be in one space at a time, many churches are seeking ways to livestream or record their services or sermons and then post them online.

Todd Seifert, conference communications director, provided two Facebook Live gatherings earlier this week to answer question and to provide tips. Both recordings can be seen on the conference Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/GreatPlainsUMC/ and one is available on the conference website.

A document that provides much of the same information has been developed and can be downloaded here.

RELATED: UM Publishing House allows temporary permission for Book of Worship and hymnal ritual resources for livestreaming and online.

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In-person Laity Summit changes to
become a free livestream this Saturday

The first Laity Summit for the Great Plains Conference, originally scheduled for this Saturday at Kearney First UMC, will live on as a livestream event originating from the conference office in Topeka.

Whether registered or not, participants can join the Summit online at greatplainsumc.org/livestream from 9:30 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m. All of the presenters, including keynote speaker David Teel from Discipleship Ministries, will be participating.

Those with questions for the presenters can text 785-925-7702 during the Summit. Those who registered for the Kearney event will receive a refund.

Check out the schedule here.

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Cancellations/postponements

The Healthy Congregations Retreat, sponsored by United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, scheduled for late April at Rock Springs 4-H Center, has been postponed until the fall.
The Great Plains Association of Retired Clergy and Spouses has canceled its seminar, March 23-24 at Manhattan First UMC.
The “Preparing for Your Future” workshop scheduled for April 20-22 at Salina Trinity UMC, has been cancelled. Elements of the seminar will be recorded and made available for viewing beginning sometime in May.
The spring workshop for the Professional Association of the United Methodist Connectional Structure, or PAUMCS, scheduled for March 31 to April 1 at Springfield First UMC in Nebraska has been canceled.
“The Art of Hospitality” conference at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, April 23-24, has been postponed until April 22-23, 2021.
Horizon Stewardship and Discipleship Ministry’s “Time to Create a New Financial Calendar?” webinar has been postponed from March 19 until April 2.
Three presentations by the Rev. Darryl Burton, a pastor at Church of the Resurrection, scheduled for today in Salina have been postponed until Oct. 14.
All Boundary Trainings for March and April have been cancelled. Clergy have the option to complete the Boundary Training online. They may select one of the three options found here.
ERT trainings in Cimarron (March 28) and Church of the Resurrection (April 4) have been canceled.

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Conference offices in Topeka
closed, but phones will be answered

As of Tuesday, staff members at the conference office in Topeka were encouraged to work from their homes. A limited number of staff members are working in the conference office, and the front door is locked. The main phone number, 785-272-9111, will be answered by a staff member during office hours, and individual extensions will be transferred to that person’s cell or home phone.

For district offices, we advise you to phone ahead before visiting as individual situations may vary.

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Bishop’s podcast series continues
with Jesus’ love for mother, friend

In the third of seven special episodes of the “In Layman’s Terms” podcast focusing on the final sayings from Christ on the cross, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. shares his reflections on John 19:26-27, “Woman, here is your son,” and “Here is your mother.”

The bishop explains to host Todd Seifert how Jesus gives us a glimpse into how Christians are supposed to treat one another — like family — and how with these words Jesus shows love for His mother while also expanding His family.

Listen to the podcast.

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General Conference

General Conference postponed among other May events in Minneapolis

The Executive Committee of the Commission on the General Conference has been notified by the Minneapolis Convention Center that they are restricting events at the venue through May 10, 2020, following recommendations by the Minnesota Department of Health, the Governor of Minnesota and the Mayor of Minneapolis to postpone or cancel events involving 50+ people in order to slow the spread of coronavirus. As a result of this decision, the Executive Committee is announcing that the General Conference will be postponed and will not occur May 5-15, 2020 as planned.

Minneapolis venue for General Conference cancels events into May

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Clergy Excellence

Group offers workshops in conflict
transformation, mediation training skills

The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, based in Lombard, Illinois, will present two workshops in the Milwaukee area this year: Conflict Transformation Skills and Mediation Skills Training Institute. The details for these popular and practical interdenominational events are as follows:

What: Conflict Transformation Skills for Churches (CTS)

When: Saturday, June 6

Where: New Vision Church in Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Who: Pastors, Church Council members, Judicatory leaders, and anyone interested in improving their ability to handle conflict effectively, whether in the church, the home, the workplace or the community. A significant group discount is available, as this workshop is most effective when members of the same congregation attend together.

What: Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders (MSTI)

When: October 5-9

Where: Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Mequon, Wisconsin

Who: Clergy and other church leaders who wish to acquire skills that will help them deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational and other forms of group conflict.

To learn more about these or any of our other course offerings, we invite you to visit lmpeacecenter.org/. You may also click on the links below for the event or document in which you are interested.

CTS-Pewaukee Group Discount Coupon

MSTI-Mequon brochure

Brown Paper Tickets (online registration)

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Equipping Disciples

Grant money available to churches,
networks with ideas for new ministries

Is your network or church pondering an idea for ministry? Check out these grants that focus on your network, Serving with Others, Education Partnership, Youth Service Funds, Youth Worker Training Grants, and more. Use these monies to help spark the imagination and inspire new ways to reach new people in your area.

Find out more here.

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Resources

In wake of virus, everything
you need to know about e-giving

In response to Covid-19 and social distancing, many churches many close as they put the health of their congregation first. This may lead to stress around the collection plate. Check out this handy guide to understanding electronic, text, and other forms of online giving.

Across the Connection

Former legislator was a 'force' in Church of the Resurrection, Hamilton says

Nancy Brown, a founding member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection and a former state legislator, has died. The Rev. Adam Hamilton, pastor of the church, said her impact was "incalculable."

In other news

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Newsletters

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Blogs and opinion

Preaching to an empty room: How do pastors with decades of experience speaking to congregations suddenly preach to an empty church? The Rev. Dr. Alyce McKenzie (pictured above), professor of preaching and worship at Southern Methodist University and director of the Center for Preaching Excellence, tackles that question. “Simply put, the preacher needs to cultivate presence in preparation for an occasion that seems to be more about absence,” she writes.
Lockdowns lead to livestreaming: Rev. Jeremy Smith, a United Methodist pastor from Seattle, had three days’ notice before trying his first livestream. He gives tips for those trying to livestream, including obstacles that he faced his first time out. “As they say in leadership circles, never waste a crisis,” he writes.
A WWII vet’s perspective on pandemic: As a 94-year-old World War II veteran, John Gould has seen his share of hard times. The faithful United Methodist shared with Dallas Morning News columnist Sharon Grigsby his advice for coping with the coronavirus: “Take it easy, pray for each other and look after your neighbors, even if you don't know them that well — especially those who are lonely or really fragile.”

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Classifieds

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