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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Connecting Council hears about disaffiliation, diversity, justice work
Bishop Wilson gets special anointing ceremony
Assemblies bring concerns to forefront in Topeka, Johnson Co.
Jane Langat named as Intercultural Development Coordinator
A 'pastor's pastor,' Moffet brought enthusiasm, compassion to churches
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Special session four weeks away; in-person conference five weeks out
Annual conference session workbook to be ready by May 15
Soul Celebration Dinner set for June 8 in Omaha
Foundations holding informational session about planned giving
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
Clergy invited to consider reflective supervision
Renewal Grant applications for 2024 are available starting May 10
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Rebekah Simon-Peter continues her book tour in Great Plains
Summit Youth Academy hosts song competition
Openings still available for METour, June 16-25
MERCY & JUSTICE
Justice Encounter trip set for July 12-16 in Alabama
Social Justice Seed Money supports event at Urban Abbey
ADMINISTRATION
Nebraska UM Foundation scholarship program opens
RESOURCES
Books on youth ministry available from center
Retirees group previews upcoming General Conference
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
300-plus attend BeUnited service Sunday in Wichita
K-State Wesley House cuts housing rates, offers fellowships
In other news
Newsletters
Classifieds
Connecting Council hears about
disaffiliation, diversity, justice work
The expected disaffiliations of 150-plus churches from the Great Plains Conference will result in a 4.26% decrease in the budget for 2024, the Connecting Council was told during its meetings last weekend in Topeka.
The proposed budget of $15,124,101 is a decrease of about $672,000 from the 2023 budget, said Scott Brewer, director of administration and interim chief of staff.
All departments in the conference have about 7.8% reductions in their budgets, he said.
The Connecting Council, which meets twice a year, also heard details about cross-racial, cross-cultural appointments, and the justice work that's being done in the conference.
Read more here.
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Bishop Wilson gets
special anointing ceremony
In his first meeting of the Council of Bishops this week in Chicago, Bishop David Wilson was to have received an anointing during a ceremony along with other new episcopal leaders.
However, the Great Plains bishop went running that morning and took a tumble and was unable to be at the ceremony.
So a special anointing took place later, when Bishop Wilson could receive the honor from Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of the East Ohio Conference, Council of Bishops president.
Watch the video here, courtesy of the Louisiana Conference.
From United Methodist News Service: Legal forum offers guidance for time of schism.
Also from UMNS: Council of Bishops calls for church renewal.
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Nehemiah Assemblies bring concerns
to forefront in Topeka, Johnson Co.
Nehemiah Assemblies for justice organizations, where priorities are given to needs in the community, action plans are announced, and commitments are presented to government officials, are underway in the Great Plains Conference.
Monday saw meetings for the Topeka Justice Unity and Ministry Project, or JUMP, and Churches United for Justice in Kansas City, Kansas. Tuesday was the Good Faith Network of Johnson County assembly at Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, at its Leawood campus. This Thursday is the assembly for the Lincoln-based Justice in Action, and Sunday is Justice Matters’ assembly in Lawrence.
The groups are partly funded by the Great Plains Conference’s Doing Justice Initiative, and United Methodists from the two states play predominant roles in the organizations.
Read more here.
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Conference names Jane Langat as
Intercultural Development Coordinator
A Kenya-born pastor serving in a cross-racial, cross-cultural appointment will be the new Intercultural Development Coordinator for the Great Plains Conference.
The Rev. Dr. Jane Langat, pastor at Longford Bethel and Mizpah United Methodist churches in north central Kansas, will begin serving in the new role July 1, 2023.
She succeeds the Rev. Kathy Williams, who became director of Clergy Excellence on May 1. Williams began work in the newly created position of Clergy Leadership Coordinator in January 2021, specifically working with pastors and congregations in cross-racial, cross-cultural appointments.
Williams said Langat will continue that work with a new job title.
Read more here.
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A 'pastor's pastor,' Moffet brought
enthusiasm, compassion to churches
The Rev. Larry Moffet is being remembered as a pastor who cared about his congregations, his fellow clergy, and the communities he served.
Moffet, who served the former Nebraska Conference and Great Plains Conference from 1984 until his 2019 retirement, died last week from complications of Hodgkin lymphoma. He was 71.
Read more here.
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Annual Conference
Special session four weeks away;
in-person conference five weeks out
Registration for the 10th regular session of the Great Plains Annual Conference – “Clay in the Hands of Our Creator” – will remain open through Monday, May 22.
Following a special online business session on May 31 to vote on disaffiliations and closings, with an online clergy session scheduled for June 5. The in-person sessions of annual conference are June 7-10 at the La Vista Convention Center in La Vista, Nebraska. The conference begins with a service of commemoration and communion at 3 p.m. June 7; addresses by Bishop David Wilson and conference lay leader Lisa Maupin and recognition of retirees on June 8, and reports from connectional ministries and the service of ordination and commissioning on June 9. The budget is scheduled to be approved on June 10.
- To register for annual conference, click here.
- To register for onsite childcare, click here.
- To view a list of available hotels, click here. (The hotels in the convention center, Embassy Suites and Courtyard by Marriott, are sold out.)
For all information about the annual conference session, visit greatplainsumc.org/annualconference.
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Annual conference session
workbook to be ready by May 15
The annual workbook for the Great Plains Annual Conference session will be available for download by May 15.
The workbook contains information about resolutions and petitions to be considered at the annual conference session, information about the proposed conference budget, and reports from conference staff, mission agencies and ministry partners.
The annual conference session begins with an online meeting May 31 for all clergy and lay members to annual conference. And the in-person portion of the annual conference is scheduled for June 7-10 in La Vista, Nebraska.
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Soul Celebration Dinner
set for June 8 in Omaha
Black Methodists for Church Renewal will have its annual conference Soul Celebration Dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at TRI Community UMC, 6001 Fontanelle Blvd., Omaha.
The cost is $25 adults, $15 youth and $10 children and the reservation deadline is June 1.
Register at this link. For more information, contact the Rev. Andrew Finch at 402-968-8197.
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Foundations holding informational
session about planned giving
 
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation, Kansas Methodist Foundation and UM Men 100 Club will present "Leaving a Legacy: Planned Giving That Makes an Impact" from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, at Papillion St. Paul's UMC.
Get more information and register here.
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Clergy Excellence
Clergy invited to consider
reflective supervision
There’s a set-apart space waiting for clergy where you can regularly step out of the flow to catch your breath, reflect on and strategize around some aspect of your work as a minister and its impact on you and those with whom you work. It’s called reflective pastoral supervision. This is supervision, not in the sense of your being evaluated, but as a conference provided place of support and accountability for your development, safety, and well-being, and that of those with whom you work.
Every six to eight weeks you’ll meet with a person trained to help you reflect on an issue that you bring from your ministry on which you’d value some help in exploring.
Read more here.
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Renewal Grant applications for
2024 are available starting May 10
The Office of Clergy Excellence announces the fourth round of Clergy Renewal Leave Grants for grants to be distributed in 2024. Clergy renewal leave is one way that the Great Plains Conference invests in developing, equipping, and empowering today’s leaders for the church of tomorrow. Is God calling you into an extended season of attentiveness to your own soul so that you might be faithful to the work that Christ is calling you to in your congregation(s) and community? Consider whether a Renewal Leave or Clergy Wellbeing Mini-Grant might be a resource for you. And read more about Clergy Faith and Wellness here.
Renewal Leave is a period of time (usually about 12 weeks) that is granted by one’s local church for pastors to take an extended length of time to take a respite from the normal pastoral ministries for the purpose of renewing one’s vision, restoring one’s soul, and refocusing for the season of ministry and life ahead. The Clergy Renewal Grants are up to $3,000 and are available for full or associate members of the Great Plains Conference or local pastors who have completed course of study who have served at least six consecutive years under appointment. Past grant recipients have used the funds to cover pulpit supply while they’re away or travel or program expenses for a program of their own design for their season of renewal.
The process of applying for the Renewal Leave grant is one that includes approval from the District Superintendent and one’s local church. The inquiry form that helps us identify if you’re eligible for the grant will be available on May 10. After your eligibility is confirmed, pastors are encouraged to begin creating a proposal for coverage of ministry responsibilities and plans for renewal during the time away. All Renewal Leave plans must be jointly approved by the District Superintendent and PPRC/Administrative Board of the church/charge.
Grant applications for 2024 will be received through August 1, 2023, and applicants can expect to hear by September 1 about the status of their application. Late applications received after Aug. 1 deadline will be considered on a rolling basis while funds are still available.
You can read more about Renewal Grants (including FAQ’s) at our website and hear from some past grant recipients here.
All clergy serving under appointment in the Great Plains UMC are eligible for a Clergy Wellbeing Mini-Grant, up to $400 (to be used in 2023 and 2024). The next grant cycle will open July 1 and will be open through Nov. 1. Learn more here.
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Equipping Disciples
Rebekah Simon-Peter continues
her book tour in Great Plains
The Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter is continuing her book tour of the Great Plains Conference, speaking about “Lessons from Pandemics Past.”
After stops Saturday in North Platte, Sunday in Columbus, Nebraska, and Tuesday in Ottawa, she is scheduled to give a presentation at 2 p.m. CT today in McPherson, which will be livestreamed from the conference website.
Her tour will conclude at 7 p.m. Thursday with a stop at Hays First UMC.
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Summit Youth Academy
hosts song competition
The Summit Youth Academy and Southwestern College proudly announce and invite you to participate in the first annual Summit Youth Academy Worship Music Contest designed specifically to encourage and promote new works of worship music by composers of all levels.
The contest is open to all musicians including (but not limited to) youth, youth directors, worship leaders, pastors, and choir directors. There is no entry fee, but each entry must be accompanied by a nomination for the 2023 Summit Youth Academy.
Entries will be accepted in two categories -- worship songwriting and instrumental.
All entries must be received by Friday, June 1 at 5 p.m. CT. Winners will be announced on June 15. Winners in each category will receive a $100 prize and an invitation to perform their work at the Summit Youth Academy talent show on Friday, July 14. Winners and other selected entries could receive a special invitation to a professional recording session, mixed and mastered by one of the top recording professionals in the United States. Carter Green at Green Jean studios has a long recording and mastering career with top artists and movie studios around the world.
See the entry form at this link for guidelines and more information.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord and tell us your story in song!
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Openings still available
for METour, June 16-25
Young women ages 15-20 are invited to participate in the Great Plains United Women in Faith’s Mission Education Tour (METour), June 16-25.
METour participants have the opportunity to engage in mission, learn about United Methodist Women in Faith and experience the United Methodist connection by visiting and working at National Mission Institutions, Volunteer in Mission sites and United Methodist-related agencies in Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky.
Click on this link for more information and to register.
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Mercy & Justice
Justice Encounter trip set
for July 12-16 in Alabama
The Mercy & Justice team of the Great Plains Conference is thrilled to organize the second Justice Encounter from July 12-16. This immersive trip will bring together a group of 30 clergy and laity who are compelled by their faith to listen and learn about the history of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the reality of racial justice in our country today.
The original vision for this trip came during Bishop Dee Williamston’s time with the Great Plains Conference, when she worked with the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Project to dedicate a historical marker in memory of Dana Adams, a 19-year-old man who was lynched in Salina. Inspired by this advocacy, this Justice Encounter team will be spending time in Montgomery, Alabama (as well as the nearby cities of Birmingham and Selma), to visit historical sites and museums and hear from community leaders like folks at the Equal Justice Initiative. Both Bishop Williamston of the Louisiana Conference and Bishop David Wilson of the Great Plains Conference will be attending, as well as the Micah Corps young adult interns who spend their summer focused on social justice.
Over the next two weeks, the Mercy & Justice team will be accepting applications from any clergy and laity in the Great Plains Conference who are interested in learning about racial justice and building beloved community. Priority will be given to young adults (16-35) and folks of color. All applicants are encouraged to apply on or before May 14.
To learn more about the trip, please visit the website, or you can reach out to the trip lead, Rev. Maddie Johnson, at mmjohnson@greatplainsumc.org, if you have any questions.
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Social Justice Seed Money
supports event at Urban Abbey
Each year, the Great Plains Mercy & Justice Team makes Social Justice Seed Money grants available to congregations or groups within congregations. These grants, with a maximum amount of $1,000, support projects that address issues of social justice. God calls us to be concerned and involved in how we order our lives together and how we treat each other. If there are unjust structures and laws, we feel called to do something about it. In Micah 6:8 we read, “God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
In the fall of 2022, Urban Abbey, a United Methodist Church/bookstore/coffee shop in Omaha, Nebraska, applied for such a grant. The goal was to engage more church members in social justice advocacy, specifically in regard to reproductive rights and health care. A training took place on Jan. 22 with over 75 people in attendance.
Taylor Bickle, ministry and administrative coordinator, shared about the event. “Representatives from Nebraskans for Abortion Resources and Planned Parenthood gave presentations on the state of reproductive rights in Nebraska and the current legislation being considered by the Nebraska Legislature. Following the event, many individuals showed interest in continuing to learn about the Nebraska Legislature and how they can be involved. The Urban Abbey has held subsequent events to write letters to elected officials, and has launched Advocacy Office Hours on Sunday mornings as an opportunity to learn more about current issues and opportunities to advocate for social justice.”
Our Social Principles state clearly that we believe in the sanctity of life. Yet, we also believe that “governmental laws and regulations do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian conscience. Therefore, a decision concerning abortion should be made only after thoughtful and prayerful consideration by the parties involved, with medical, family, pastoral, and other appropriate counsel.” United Methodist Social Principles ¶161.K
For grant opportunities, go to https://www.greatplainsumc.org/grants#mercy
-- Andrea Paret, Peace with Justice coordinator,
Mercy & Justice team member
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Administration
Nebraska UM Foundation
scholarship program opens
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation opened its scholarship season on April 1 with over $50,000 in scholarships available for undergraduate students, seminary students, and local pastors pursuing a career in church leadership.
The Seminary Scholarship Program has 26 different seminary scholarships available.
The Tither’s Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship and is available to students who will attend or are attending an accredited two or four-year college or university in Iowa or Nebraska, or any UM affiliated and accredited institution of higher learning (post-secondary) education. Parents must have tithed for at least five consecutive years prior to which the scholarship would begin. The students and parents must be members of a United Methodist Church in Iowa or Nebraska. The deadline for the seminary and tither’s scholarships is June 30, 2023.
The Course of Study Scholarships are administered on a reimbursement basis to individuals enrolled in classes within the Course of Study program. Candidates must be a member of a Nebraska United Methodist Church and a Certified Candidate. They must also be available to be an appointed member of the Great Plains Area Conference with the intention of serving ministries approved by the Conference.
For more information on these scholarships, visit www.numf.org.
The Nebraska United Methodist Foundation would like to acknowledge the generous gifts donors have made to make these scholarships possible. 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 student, call the Foundation at 877-495-5545.
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Resources
Books on youth ministry
available from center
Are you involved in youth ministry, whether as a paid staff member or a volunteer?
The United Media Resource Center has nearly three dozen books available on the subject, including “3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager: Making the Most of Your Conversations and Connections” by Kara Powell and Brad Griffin, “Delighted: What Teenagers are Teaching the Church About Joy” by various authors, and “Missions That Matter: How to do Short-term Missions without Long-term Harm” by Jen Bradbury.
Find those and more here.
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Retirees group previews
upcoming General Conference
The United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy will explore “A Potentially Momentous 2024 United Methodist General Conference” in a free webinar at 7 p.m. CT Thursday, May 18. Speakers from the U.S., Congo and the Philippines will discuss key issues that will shape debate at the church’s top legislative assembly in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Register here.
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Across the Connection
300-plus attend BeUnited
service Sunday in Wichita
More than 300 people, plus a 140-voice choir, attended the BeUnited celebration Sunday afternoon at Wichita First UMC.
Through worship, testimonials and music, representatives of at least 10 churches in the Wichita East and West districts celebrated what it means to be United Methodist.
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K-State Wesley House cuts
housing rates, offers fellowships
The Wesley House is a United Methodist dorm at Kansas State University.
To repopulate the dorm after COVID, we have reduced our housing rates for the 2023-‘24 school year, down from $2,600 to $2,000 per semester.
In addition, Wesley is offering 10 fellowships to United Methodist students. These fellowships are for $1,500 per semester, which means the first 10 United Methodist students to apply can live at Wesley for $500 a semester!
For more information, visit kstatewesley.com or send an email to kstatewesley@gmail.com.
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In other news
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Newsletters
- Discipleship Ministries: Path 1 News, May 2023
- Ministry Matters, May 3, 2023
- Leading Ideas, May 3, 2023
- GP Youth Collective, May 2023
- GP Kids+Family, May 2023
- A Sermon for Every Sunday, May 2, 2023
- Nebraska United Methodist Foundation, May 2023
- Discipleship Ministries: Worship Planning, May 1, 2023
- Discipleship Ministries: Generous Living, May 2023
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Classifieds
Classifieds are posted for 30 days unless otherwise requested. Please allow three business days for your classified to appear on the website. Email jmcfarland@greatplainsumc.org to update or renew your classified. Submit your classified here.
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