Download the printable version of the Oct. 14 issue of GPconnect.

In this edition:

THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Bishop urges those in conference to exercise their right to vote
Newest generation of Wilkes respects family name while blazing new trail
Virtual choir making beautiful music in Papillion is subject of newest podcast
More stories of coronavirus response from beyond the Great Plains
Virtual 5K raises $1,350 for anti-racism education in conference
More about the fight against racism from beyond the Great Plains
Roeland Park UMC's weekly food distribution visited by Rep. Davids
'Steeple to Street' webinar focuses on Fresh Expressions after pandemic
‘Water is Life’ photos, story shed light on role of African women

CLERGY EXCELLENCE
'Purple Zone' author Schade to discuss 'ministry in divisive times'
Free ministry leadership webinar set for later this month
Self-care mini-grants available for coaching, spiritual direction, retreats

EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Stars Go Dim benefit concert for Camp Chippewa is this Sunday
Camp Fontanelle pumpkin patch, corn maze nearing record numbers
Methodist Class Leader Training scheduled for Nov. 14 webinar
LSM blog: Care, kindness, compassion can be our vaccine
Clergy, laity in conference sought as writers for our daily devotionals

MERCY & JUSTICE
Learning about peacemaking from Nonviolence Omaha

DISASTER RESPONSE
Hotlines offer help during times of trouble

ADMINISTRATION
17 churches, groups receive Pathways for Discipleship grants

RESOURCES
Here are some pandemic-proof ways to thank a pastor this month
Learn to create great videos through online course from UMCom

ACROSS THE CONNECTION
Aurora UMC in Nebraska starts work on addition to building
Kearney UMC keeps Trunk or Treat event going with drive-through
SE Kansas pastor’s daughter wins national Elks anti-drug poster contest
In other news
Newsletters
Classifieds

Bishop urges those in conference
to exercise their right to vote

Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. has issued a letter urging United Methodists in the Great Plains Conference to exercise their right to vote and to work to ensure all eligible citizens have the ability to exercise their right to vote in the November election.

Read and download the letter.
Bishops call for full participation in U.S. election
From UM News Service: Churches nationwide urge voting

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Newest generation of Wilkes respects family name while blazing new trail

His grandfather is a bishop, retired pastor and creator of the Disciple Bible Study series. His father is a longtime pastor in the United Methodist Church, and he has a slew of aunts and uncles, by blood and by marriage, who have their own ministries.

But Matthew Wilke wasn't initially excited about joining the "family business," until a serious evaluation of his life as a teenager pointed him to the people he knew who were happy.

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Virtual choir making beautiful music in
Papillion is subject of newest podcast

In the latest in his intermittent series on adapting church amid the #COVID19 pandemic, Todd Seifert’s “In Layman’s Terms” podcast explores how the worship team at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Papillion, Nebraska, worked together to figure out how to create a virtual choir.

Now, with three songs under their belt, the people who led that effort share what they learned as they took the journey down the path of musical innovation.

Download the podcast.

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Virtual 5K raises $1,350 for
anti-racism education in conference

They may not have tread their sneakers on the same streets, but 90 people from the Great Plains Conference still came together for a good cause in the Great Plains Therefore Go Virtual 5K.

The virtual race, which drew participants from 9 to 80 years old, raised $1,350 for anti-racism education and advocacy.

“You are helping the conference move from reading books and discussions to movement,” read a letter to participants. “Upon consultation and recommendation from the Mercy & Justice Team of the Great Plains Conference, the main way these funds will be used is to create a diverse team of lay and clergy representatives from each district to go to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. In this pilgrimage, the team will learn about the Equal Justice Initiative on how to take the experience and lead conversations about race in our communities.

“The seed money raised by the 5K will begin the 22 by 22 Initiative, acknowledging 22 lynchings of African-Americans that happened in Nebraska and Kansas during 1850-1950. We will acknowledge the past and provide ways for communities to remember and honor those who have died with dignity by 2022. The pilgrimage in 2021 will lay the foundation of the movement so that we can acknowledge this part of our history in 2022, educate our communities, and respond together.”

More facts from the race:

Fastest recorded time for this year's Great Plains Virtual 5K virtual race: 18 minutes, 15 seconds
Longest race: 10K
Clergy and laity walked together
One race was a part of an ordination vacation
New personal challenges were embraced
Granddaughters cheered on one participant
Grandparents, children, and grandchildren participated together
For one, this was their first 5K ever (so a 5K personal record!)
A mother and daughter took part as a way to meet up on a weekend during college
One participant was a part of a race in remembrance of a local community member who died who had been a part of planning the local 5K

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More about the fight against
racism from beyond the Great Plains

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Roeland Park UMC's weekly food
distribution visited by Rep. Davids

The food distribution service by Roeland Park UMC caught the eye of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids during the congresswoman’s visit last week.

“The food insecurity issue is just so huge, and we’ve seen a real explosion of need,” Davids, who lives in Roeland Park, said after meeting the volunteers. “I feel like the faith community is really stepping up during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s heartwarming and something I think we all wish we were on the other side of.”

'Steeple to Street' webinar focuses
on Fresh Expressions after pandemic

The pandemic has left too many churches in a state of limbo, said a presenter from Fresh Expressions who will be working with the Great Plains Conference in a webinar later this month.

“There’s such a state of overwhelm right now,” said the Rev. Matt Lake, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. “We’ve heard repeatedly from pastors and congregations feeling overwhelmed at so many levels that they don’t know what to do to be able to take a step forward.”

Lake and the Rev. Michael Beck, director of remissioning for Fresh Expressions and a pastor of Wildwood UMC in Florida, will present “From the Steeple to the Street: A New Kind of Church for a New Kind of World,” in a six-hour Zoom webinar on Friday, Oct. 23.

‘Water is Life’ photos, story
shed light on role of African women

With the International Day of Rural Women approaching on Thursday, United Methodist News is shining a light on the important role women in African countries play in providing water for their families through a new photo essay titled “Water is Life.”

The story offers a compelling truth: “Millions of people spend almost every moment of their lives seeking water. Millions more do not give it a second thought. Which category you are in depends a great deal on where you were born.”

More than 750 million people around the world do not have reliable water access and even fewer have access to water for agriculture and household tasks, according to United Methodist Global Ministries.

The job of collecting the water for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundry often falls to women and girls, who may walk for miles with water from ponds, wells or rivers carried in buckets on their heads. The heavy containers sometimes weigh as much as 40 pounds. According to the United Nations, 80% of households without piped water rely on women and girls for water collection.

The digital photo narrative by United Methodist News photographer Mike DuBose, news writer Kathy Gilbert and multimedia editor Joey Butler, features stunning photography and stories from Liberia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cote d'Ivoire, and Mozambique. The project was three years in the making. Through visual storytelling, they share the challenges confronted by people in communities without a clean, safe water supply and how The United Methodist Church works to address the water crisis in many countries through water and sanitation projects.

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio, according to the World Health Organization which says 829,000 people are estimated to die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene.

The International Day of Rural Women was first observed in 2008 to honor the critical role that women play in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities despite the many obstacles they face.

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Clergy Excellence

'Purple Zone' author Schade to
discuss 'ministry in divisive times'

Dr. Leah Schade, author of “Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide” will be the guest on the next episode of "At the Threshold: Ministry in Liminal Time," scheduled for 10:30-11:30 a.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 29.

Schade, assistant professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary, will be a speaker for the Orders & Fellowship clergy gathering in 2021. During the "Threshold" webinar, available later in podcast and video form, she will discuss her work in helping pastors bridge the things that separate us.

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Free ministry leadership
webinar set for later this month

A webinar on "Leadership in 2020: Ministry Under the Shadow of a Pandemic," will be from 9-11 a.m. CT Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 26-27, with a followup Q&A from 9-11 a.m. CT Monday, Nov. 9.

Watch this video invitation from Bishop Saenz.

The webinar is free from the conference: Register here.

Rev. Bill Selby, founder and director of the Center for Pastoral of the Rockies, will help us think about congregations as emotional systems, the impact of anxiety on leaders and faith communities, and some insights/ implications to consider as you, the leaders, live into a hopeful future and respond to parishioners, colleagues, the larger system and the anxiety in which we live.

Dr. W. Craig Gilliam, founder and owner of Gilliam and Associates, LLC, will offer some insights and best practices for responding to difficult people, facilitating difficult conversations, and addressing anxiety and conflict in constructive, generative ways that invite people’s (our own and others) best self — the Christ within us — and the congregation as a body.

We invite and hope you can join us for this opportunity to reflect, learn and grow. Please come, journey with us into this rocky but hopeful terrain.

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Self-care mini-grants available for coaching, spiritual direction, retreats

When we’re honest, the question to John Wesley’s classic question, “How is it with your soul?” likely leads most of us clergy to saying things like … weary … exhausted… wounded… tired …conflicted. We are glad to be able to offer some resources for clergy to be able to invest in an intentional way during this season ahead. We’ve compiled some resources for Soul Care on our website and are also pleased to be able to offer a variety of grant opportunities.

Whether you’re interested in some individual care through meeting with a coach or spiritual director, or attending a retreat (or creating your own!), we would love to encourage you to consider creating some space for soul care. Check out our website for resources and self-care mini-grant opportunities. The grant application is open until March 30, 2021.

--Rev. Ashlee Alley Crawford
clergy recruitment and development coordinator

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Equipping Disciples

Stars Go Dim benefit concert
for Camp Chippewa is this Sunday

A concert by the Christian act Stars Go Dim, to benefit the sustainability campaign for Camp Chippewa will be at 4 p.m. CT Sunday at the Camp Chippewa and Retreat Center, 2577 Idaho Road, Ottawa, Kansas.

Stars Go Dim, the now one-man Christian band of Chris Cleveland, whose latest album, “Better,” was released in 2019. Hits on the Christian charts for the band include “You are Loved,” “How Glorious the Love of Heaven,” “Heaven on Earth” and “You Know Me Better.”

Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. also will speak at the concert.

Admission is free, but tickets must be obtained in advance from the camp website or through the QR code below. Donations will be accepted for the sustainability campaign.

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Camp Fontanelle pumpkin patch,
corn maze nearing record numbers

For three years in a row, cold and rainy/snowy weather impacted the guests coming out to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze at Camp Fontanelle. With the onset of COVID in 2020, staff had no idea what to expect. Is it nice weather, people's need to get outside in large, open spaces, or something else? So far, during the first three weeks of the corn maze, attendance has increased and potentially could see a record number of attendees. The reason is most likely a combination of many factors.

There are three weekends left for the Second Season activity. Come out to Camp Fontanelle from 1-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1. There are activities for the young and the young at heart including hay rack rides, zipline (additional cost), pick your own pumpkin (additional cost), the Petting Barn, two Jumping Pillows and much more. The money raised during the fall season goes back to improve the ministry at Camp Fontanelle.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, Camp Fontanelle will hold its annual Search for Treats in the Maze. In partnership with Fremont's First State Bank, guests will walk through the maze finding volunteers handing out treats. The event will run from 2-4 p.m. and is included in your wristband purchase. If you would like to volunteer at this event (approximately 20 volunteers are needed), please contact Site Director Trent Meyer at tmeyer@greatplainsumc.org. Treat donations are also needed to keep the cost down for the camp. Contact Trent to make arrangements for the treat donation.

For more information about the pumpkin patch and corn maze, please visit countryfun.org. Your support is greatly appreciated.

--Jane Van Horn, Camp Fontanelle

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Methodist Class Leader Training
scheduled for Nov. 14 webinar

Methodist Class Leader Training will be from 10 a.m. to noon CT Saturday, Nov. 14.

The Zoom webinar is free.

Here is what is scheduled:

First Part of Training

Introduction/welcome
Hebrews 10:24-25
Historical Background
Purpose of the Class Meeting
Recognizing of Laity for Class Leaders
Basic Role of the Class Leader
- Early Methodism
- New Generation
The General Rule
Class Leader Duties
Qualities of Class Leaders
It’s not another Program
Deepening Discernment – Seeing What God is Up To
- Communal Discernment
- Preparing a Community for Discernment
Models of Class Meetings
- Network Model
- Discipleship Model
- House Church Model

Second Part of Training
Network/District Discussions lead by District Superintendents

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LSM blog: Care, kindness,
compassion can be our vaccine

Sherrie Williams, a certified lay minister serving Grinter Chapel and Edwardsville UMCs in the Kansas City District, is an "example of success in lay ministry," according to her district director of LSM.

In the latest LSM blog, Williams writes that that our country is suffering from an epidemic worse than COVID-19.

"Here in the United States, we 'Christians' are too concerned with our freedoms to be bothered with the teachings of Jesus or even just common decency," she writes. "We have an illness in the United States that is much more deadly than COVID-19, and it’s called selfishness, self-centeredness. Our nation is riddled with it. It’s in every corner and we don’t even try to hide it in the dark anymore. We put it right out there for every one to see and call it nationalism, freedom loving. ... I don’t even know anymore. The world is turned upside down and I’m dizzy with it."

Clergy, laity in conference sought
as writers for our daily devotionals

Thousands of people across the Great Plains Conference are waking up every morning to the reflections and witness of their fellow lay and clergy members, thanks to our daily devotionals.

Would you like to add your thoughts and your prayers to our daily email?

Use this link to view the available dates in October and November, as well as and suggested lectionary (although you are free to use whatever verse you wish). Once you have signed up and written about 300 words, plus a prayer, email them to Lisa Soukup from the communications team.

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Mercy & Justice

Learning about peacemaking
from Nonviolence Omaha

Nonviolence Omaha works to deescalate public scenes where violence is possible.

In these times of civil unrest, a group of concerned citizens in Omaha has been learning more about the power of nonviolence. Around 35 participants participated in three consecutive sessions in August focused on the principles of nonviolence from Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. Stories of nonviolent movements in Omaha’s past were shared and various tactics of nonviolent witness were discussed.

Out of those three sessions, a group of 20, led by United Methodist pastor Carol Windrum, has committed to ongoing training and are meeting weekly to role play how to deescalate scenes where violence is possible.

The group has been supported in their efforts by our Great Plains Conference Peace with Justice Ministries.

--Carol Windrum

PHOTO: Nonviolence Omaha teaches about peacemaking using roleplaying exercises.

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Disaster Response

Hotlines offer help
during times of trouble

We'll say it again, these are difficult times. University of Nebraska Extension wants to try and help with a roundup of hotlines that can help in many stress-causing situations.

This downloadable list includes numbers for the Rural Response Hotline, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, Veterans Crisis Line, Boys Town National Hotline, and many others.

Download the list here.

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Administration

17 churches, groups receive
Pathways for Discipleship grants

This year the Kansas Area United Methodist Foundation is honored to support 17 churches and organizations in Kansas through a Pathways for Discipleship Grant. These grants are only possible by the generous support from our donors through legacy gifts and annual gifts. Thank you to the many families who make the grant ministry possible!

The 2020 grant recipients are:

Augusta First UMC
Baldwin City Worden UMC
Beloit UMC
Blue Rapids/Waterville UMC
Camp Chippewa
Corbin UMC
EmberHope
Emporia State University Campus Ministry
Fairway Old Mission UMC
Frankfort UMC
Great Plains Conference – Kansas City District Hub
Hillsboro UMC
Kansas Wesleyan University Campus Ministry
McPherson First UMC
Overland Park Indian Heights UMC
Southwestern College Campus Ministry
Wichita New Covenant UMC

If you are interested in learning more on how you can support the grant ministry through a gift now, or in your estate, please contact the Foundation at foundation@kaumf.org.

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Resources

Here are some pandemic-proof
ways to thank a pastor this month

Pastor Appreciation Month is a good time for United Methodists to thank clergy for the work they do year-round. The United Methodist News Service writes about how people can show gratitude in the age of COVID-19.

Read about them here.

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Learn to create great videos
through online course from UMCom

Are you a busy clergy person, lay leader or ministry volunteer who wants to create videos that stand out? Then Video Editing for Churches learning experience is for you! Enroll to access online courses that focus on recording great videos and using Adobe Rush and iMovie to format videos for platforms like Facebook, YouTube or your website.

Enroll here.

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Across the Connection

Aurora UMC in Nebraska
starts work on addition to building

After hoping for a new addition for its church for more than 20 years, Aurora UMC in Nebraska is in the process of seeing its dreams come true.

The new addition, to the south of the current church, will include a large multipurpose area and active space.

“It basically creates a full, second fellowship hall space for us,” said the Rev. Greg Reed, who co-pastors the church with his wife, the Rev. Michelle Reed.

There are also two large, double-sized youth rooms, which Greg Reed said was “one of the biggest inspirations for the project.”

“We’ve been blessed with some large youth groups,” including 30 to 50 middle-schoolers meeting weekly, he said. “Our high school youth haven’t been able to meet in the building for years and years and years, because there’s not room for middle school and high school youth in our current space.”

Construction recently began on the addition, which is scheduled to be completed in April. It is being built over what was the community garden.

That garden is moving and expanding, Michelle Reed said.

“We’re about doubling the size of our garden spot and creating a more missional purpose with it, working with some local organizations to reach out to the food insecure and make that a bigger mission than it has been in the past,” she said.

The Reeds are in their third year as co-pastors of the church.

The $2.2 million project had about $1.1 million raised through a two-year capital campaign, which concluded just before the COVID-19 pandemic, they said.

Much of the remainder of the funds came from a legacy gift from one of the members.

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Kearney UMC keeps Trunk or Treat event going with drive-through

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many longtime events to change, and that includes the annual Trunk or Treat celebration at Kearney First UMC, which will live on as a drive-through event on Oct. 28.

“It’s no fun to shut down all the fun events for the kids. The kids look forward to these things every year, and it’s important to us too to just be the light in the dark time, especially with COVID, and to just really shine the light of Jesus to all the kids," First UMC children’s ministry director Jeanine Spangler told the NTV Network.

Watch the video here.

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SE Kansas pastor’s daughter wins
national Elks anti-drug poster contest

Altamont Grade School sixth-grader Jihyeon “Elly” Han, daughter of Sangyeop Han, pastor of Altamont-Mount Valley UMCs in southeast Kansas, has won the Elks national drug awareness poster contest.
It will be featured on the cover of the Elks national drug awareness coloring book, and is the first time a student from Kansas has won the national contest.

“On the right side of the poster is a hand that chose life instead of drugs,” she said. “On the left side is a hand that chose drugs instead of life. The tree on the left is a tree that is dying. Its leaves say the words a person might feel or go through when you choose drugs. The tree on the right is a healthy tree. Its leaves say the things you feel when you choose life. We all wish to be healthy and happy together without drugs.”

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In other news

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