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THIS WEEK'S NEWS
Politics at General Conference may boil down to ‘Three R’s’
Bishop provides written testimony supporting expansion of KanCare
Boards push forward despite budget cuts
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
One hotel remains with room blocks, although a dozen are near venue
Expand leadership skills, lift up emerging leaders through nominations
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Understanding the budget that’s coming to General Conference
Archives commission will make history fun during General Conference
Wespath to introduce proposed clergy retirement plan in webinar
CSRW to give its preview of General Conference this Friday
CLERGY EXCELLENCE
CRCC clergy, families in Kansas City District gather
Matching internship grants are open for kids, youth, pastoral ministry
New resources available for clergy, congregations in pastoral transition
EQUIPPING DISCIPLES
Want to do something that matters? Check out volunteer opportunities
Camp Fontanelle shows off changes on April 28
Make reservations by March 24 for retreat in Salina
Nominate clergy, laity or youth for Denman Evangelism Award
MERCY & JUSTICE
Fierce urgency of now looms to help innocent Palestinians
DISASTER RESPONSE
Strong social connections build a resilient community
Volunteers are crucial in ministry of Disaster Response
ADMINISTRATION
Auburn First UMC, NUMF present legacy giving seminar on April 14
March 31 is deadline to apply for Nebraska UM Foundation grants
RESOURCES
Learn from DVDs, books about Women’s History Month
50 ways to welcome people this Easter season
ACROSS THE CONNECTION
In other news
Newsletters
Classifieds
Politics at General Conference
may boil down to ‘Three R’s’
In the first of our previews of the 2024 General Conference, we look at the politics of what may be happening in Charlotte, North Carolina, beginning next month.
Rev. Dr. Mark Holland, founder of Mainstream UMC and a clergy delegate, and Lisa Maupin, conference lay leader and a laity delegate, talk about what some are predicting as the 'Three R's' of the General Conference -- Regionalization, repealing restrictive language and revised Social Principles approval.
Holland believes another contentious item might be some individuals wanting to extend the disaffiliation process.
Read more here.
Please watch the Great Plains Conference site at www.greatplainsumc.org/umcgc for more preview information leading up to General Conference and for coverage as General Conference proceeds in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Bishop provides written testimony
supporting expansion of KanCare
Bishop David Wilson has provided some written testimony in support of Medicaid expansion in Kansas as the Legislature prepares to begin hearings on growing its KanCare program.
In his testimony to lawmakers, the bishop explains how he as seen Medicaid expansion benefit the more than 22,000 clients of the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, for whom he serves on the board.
Read the testimony here.
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Boards push forward
despite budget cuts
In wide-ranging joint board meetings, officials with the United Methodist boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry plotted an ambitious future despite diminishing resources. Plans call for more equitable collaboration with constituents who need aid in an effort to get past colonialist attitudes, said Roland Fernandes, top executive of Global Ministries. He will lead both agencies beginning July 1.
Read more from United Methodist News Service.
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Annual Conference
One hotel remains with room blocks,
although a dozen are near venue
One hotels remains with room blocks for the Great Plains Annual Conference session, June 6-9.
Holiday Inn has openings as of midday today; room rates are offered with and without breakfast.
About a dozen hotels are available near the Younes Center North in Kearney between the Platte River and Interstate 80, although they are not in the conference's reserved block.
Find out more here.
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Expand your leadership skills, lift up emerging leaders through nominations
The Great Plains Conference is seeking people who want to expand their leadership skills and who want to lift up emerging leaders across Kansas and Nebraska. Our Nominations Committee is looking for people to serve on a number of conference committees, including Archives and History, Vital Congregations, Camping Ministries, Campus Ministries, Nominations, and Pensions and Health, just to name a few.
There are a large number of positions open for both clergy and lay persons. And there is definitely a significant shortage of lay persons in the nomination pool. It is important to note certain nuances of the nominations process when thinking through who is a good person to lift up.
- The nominations process involves two steps, where the person is nominated via the interest form and then the nominee is sent a more extensive survey questionnaire about interest areas, skills, etc. A person cannot be considered for a committee unless that interest form is filled out.
- The nominations committee is not responsible for filling open Board of Ordained Ministry, Administrative Review, Transition into Ministry, 0r Committee on Investigation spots. Please check with your District Superintendent regarding interest in serving on those committees.
- The conference currently does not allow for persons, unless by virtue of their office, to serve on multiple conference committees. This was part of our organizing framework when we became the Great Plains. This means that if someone is already on a conference committee they cannot serve on another.
To indicate your interest or to lift up the name of another person please fill out the nominations form on the Great Plains Conference website https://gp-reg.brtapp.com/leadershipnomination.
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General Conference
Understanding the budget that’s
coming to General Conference
Delegates to General Conference will be presented with a proposed budget of about $346.7 million to fund denomination-wide ministries for the next four years. That represents a nearly 43% reduction from the previous General Conference-approved budget. In Part 1 of a series looking at what’s new at General Conference, the Rev. Taylor W. Burton Edwards analyzes what led to the drop and what the budget funds.
Read analysis.
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Archives commission will make
history fun during General Conference
At General Conference next month, the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History hopes to help brighten moods and showcase Methodism’s endurance through challenges. At the agency’s booth, attendees can get selfies with life-size replicas of Methodism’s founders.
The agency also is selling light-hearted T-shirts about the oft-delayed General Conference and organizing a trivia contest.
Read press release
Purchase T-shirt
Register for trivia contest
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Wespath to introduce proposed
clergy retirement plan in webinar
Wespath, The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency, has scheduled a virtual event for 11 a.m. CT Wednesday, April 10 to help United Methodists learn more about the proposed Compass Retirement Plan for clergy. Legislation to establish the plan is heading to General Conference, which is scheduled for April 23-May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the online session, Wespath also plans to introduce its new chief investments officer and share updates on investments.
To register.
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CSRW to give its preview of
General Conference this Friday
Which woman is making history at General Conference? What is the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women’s monitoring role at the legislative assembly? What legislation affecting women and girls is on the table? Find out the answers to these questions and more during Embrace the Challenge: Empowering Women at General Conference, a webinar presented by the commission at 11 a.m. CT Friday, March 22.
Register for webinar.
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Clergy Excellence
CRCC clergy, families in
Kansas City District gather
Twenty-three people, including clergy in the Kansas City District and their families, attended a cross-racial/cross-cultural gathering March 8 at Resurrection, a United Methodist Church, in Leawood.
The two-hour gathering included getting to know one another, and a celebration of the retirement and wedding of Rev. Dr. Tom Brady, Kansas City District superintendent.
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Matching internship grants are
open for kids, youth, pastoral ministry
Do you have a young adult, at least 18 years old, who has the gifts for serving in your church full or part time as an intern in kids, youth, or pastoral ministry this summer? The conference is offering Matching Internship Grants for churches this summer up to $2,400 for the summer. The deadline for applying is April 15. Check out more information here.
Our objectives for Church Matching Internship Grants are:
- To help churches identify a young person with gifts for ministry.
- To support a vibrant and creative summer season of ministry.
- To connect interns with a learning community of other interns throughout the summer.
Our expectations for the churches applying:
- Your intern will be paid an hourly rate (at least minimum wage) for up to 40 hours per week. Internship must be a minimum of 10 weeks, running from May 20 to July 29.
- Mentors will receive onboarding resources and interns will receive a welcome box from the conference.
- Someone from the church staff will be an assigned supervisor throughout the summer and will meet weekly with the intern for supervision and making space for reflecting on the intern’s summer learning.
Contact Rev. Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford to learn more about the Pastoral Leadership internship, aalleycrawford@greatplainsumc.org or 785-414-4216 or Rev. Melissa Gepford to learn more about the kids or youth internships, mgepford@greatplainsumc.org or 785-272-9111. And if having an intern is new for you and you’d like to learn more about best practices, reach out to Ashlee or Melissa. This could be a life-changing summer for a young adult or for your congregation to nurture the call of an intern. Will you check out the possibilities today?
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New resources available for clergy, congregations in pastoral transition
Transition of Pastoral Leadership can create stress and opportunity, grief and excitement. The clergy and congregations who will be experiencing a transition of pastoral leadership are invited to join several new opportunities to navigate the change in healthy ways.
- Zoom-based training meetings designed by the Offices of Clergy and Congregational Excellence to provide a healthy foundation amid pastoral change for the outgoing pastor, plus1-2 congregational leaders (SPRC, Administrative Board, Lay Leader, or other key leaders from the congregation) to identify healthy strategies for the leadership change. Participants can choose to attend one meeting of the following options that will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. (CT) on April 9 and May 9.
- New and Updated Resources added to our website for creating healthy pastoral transitions.
- Clergy who are moving appointments this year are invited to attend a For Your Life retreat that will be focused on soul care and creating a plan for spiritual health amid the transition. For details, contact Rev Dr. Ashlee Alley Crawford, aalleycrawford@greatplainsumc.org.
Learn more and register for events here: www.greatplainsumc.org/pastoraltransitions.
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Equipping Disciples
Want to do something that matters?
Check out volunteer opportunities
Summer is right around the corner and local church mission teams are beginning to make plans for their mission experience and for making disciples. Team leaders there are all kinds of helps on the conference website to make your planning easier: https://www.greatplainsumc.org/VIMteamresources.
Not sure where to go? We are in the process of securing some in-conference sites for you to select from. For other UMVIM projects check out this site: https://coor.umvimncj.org/projects/ For questions, contact Rev. Hollie Tapley, Conference Disaster Response and UMVIM Coordinator.
Local churches of the Great Plains Conference, do you have unmet needs of small repairs, painting, yard work, etc. that youth and adult mission teams could do for you this summer? We are looking for local projects within the conference for our UMVIM Mission Teams to connect with. If your church needs a mission team contact Tapley, htapley@greatplainsumc.org.
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Camp Fontanelle shows
off changes on April 28
Camp Fontanelle has made many improvements, and we want to show them off!
Come out to Camp Fontanelle from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, April 28, for the annual Open House. There will be a chance to meet the staff, tour buildings, take part in a scavenger hunt, take a hike, register for camp or purchase some camp merch! From 4-5:30, support the camp with the first freewill donation spaghetti feed! The day will be filled with a lot of fun and an opportunity to visit the camp and ask any questions.
Volunteers are needed for our Spring Clean Up Days. Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 27 and May 4. All levels of experience are needed from cleaning windows to repair work. The day begins at 9 a.m. and lunch will be served at noon. Look for more details in the future about the cleanup days.
-- Jane Van Horn, Camp Fontanelle
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Make reservations by
March 24 for retreat in Salina
Interested in approachable ways you can help improve the health of your congregation and community? Reserve your place at the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund’s 2024 Healthy Congregations Retreat, April 18-19 in Salina.
The retreat is for all Great Plains United Methodists interested in health ministry – and especially valuable for Healthy Congregations team members. Community partners invited by Healthy Congregations teams are also encouraged to participate. New Healthy Congregations teams, along with new members joining existing teams, can complete their orientation/training during the event.
Facilitated by Rev. Adam Barlow-Thompson, executive director of The Neighboring Movement, Day 1 will focus on relationship and connection-building, leveraging strengths and talents, and developing effective partnerships - empowering teams and individuals to work together and reach their chosen congregational and community health goals.
Day 2 (April 19), billed as Intersections of Faith & Health, is designed for an expanded audience including Retreat participants as well as those from other faith communities and the fields of public health, health care, and non-profits, along with community members. Intersections explores current and emerging health issues with an emphasis on how stakeholders can work together and leverage their unique strengths to improve community health for all. Participants will hear from health experts across the state and go deeper into topics of interest through small-group conversations. Topics include maternal and child health, childcare, Medicaid expansion, food insecurity, and civic engagement.
Through Health Fund sponsorship, the event is provided at no cost to participants. Overnight accommodations are available for April 18, but rooms are limited, and hotel cutoff is March 24; please register early to reserve your place.
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Nominate clergy, laity or youth
for Denman Evangelism Award
Each year The Foundation for Evangelism works with annual conferences to offer the Denman Evangelism Award to three recipients: one clergy, one laity and one youth.
This is a meaningful way to honor and thank people who demonstrate evangelistic passion to reach others for Christ. Awards are presented at Annual Conference sessions. Nominations for the 2024 awards are due by May 1. Instructions and guidelines are on this the Nomination Form; specify whether you are nominating clergy, laity or youth.
Nomination forms in the Great Plains should be submitted to Rev. Jeff Clinger, director of congregational excellence, at jclinger@greatplainsumc.org.
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Mercy & Justice
Fierce urgency of now looms
to help innocent Palestinians
As the situation for Palestinians in Gaza deteriorates further with more innocent Palestinians getting killed and now many, including children, starving to death, the urgency of taking action is immense.
In February, Methodists for Social Action (MFSA) and United Methodists for Kairos Response (UMKR) offered a webinar called “The Fierce Urgency of Now: Legislation for UMC General Conference 2024.” Several members from the Great Plains Conference were able to participate live in this important webinar. It was recorded and is available to be watched here. We encourage you to do so. You will learn about the situation in the Holy Land and hear about the legislation going to General Conference in April.
Even though the situation is changing daily it is not getting better but rather worse. We are grateful for the statement from March 13 from the Council of Bishops calling for an immediate and permanent cease fire. Let us join them with our prayers and our pledge to work for a durable peace.
-- Submitted by Andrea Paret, Holy Land Task Force
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Disaster Response
Strong social connections
build a resilient community
Taking steps to be socially connected in your community can create a sense of belonging, care, value, and support. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is highlighting the importance of social connection because it increases our engagement in work, makes us more present in conversations, increases commitment to goals, and creates trust and resilience in a community.
Groups of people made up of friends, family members, coworkers, and community members provide a dose of regular positive contact to maintain healthy mental, physical, and emotional wellness.
“Our social communities, be it folks who are close to us in our local area or beyond, thrive when we interact with one another in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and other positive group environments,” said Tony Green, Interim Director of the Division of Behavioral Health. “Social connectedness can improve feelings of being cared for, valued, and appreciated by others which boosts a person’s overall well-being.”
Social connection is important to your overall wellness and mental health because it can:
- Boost feelings of purpose and a sense of belonging,
- Decrease risk of dementia, heart disease, and stroke,
- Provide a support system to better cope with hard times, stress, anxiety, and depression, and
- Promote healthy eating habits and increase drive to be physically active.
There is not a universal standard on how individuals should connect with others as relationship building is deeply personal and a reflection of one’s inner self. However, we can check in with ourselves and reflect on different avenues to better engage with one another or share in bonding activities.
Recommendations for engaging in meaningful social connections:
- Spend time in a group size that makes you comfortable.
- Be mindful of the quantity of social activities or group size to avoid being overwhelmed or burnout.
- Find a group that shares similar interests or take a class related to your favorite hobby.
- Consider doing daily activities with a small group such as cooking or exercising.
- Express gratitude by volunteering in your community or giving a compliment.
- Connect in person as much as possible. If an in-person meeting does not work out, substitute a phone call for screen time.
Need to talk or get immediate help in a crisis? Help is available. If you or a loved one need assistance, please reach out to:
- The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; call, text, or chat 988.
- Nebraska Family Helpline – Any question, any time. (888) 866-8660.
- Rural Response Hotline, (800) 464-0258.
- Your faith-based leader, healthcare professional, or student health center on campus.
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Volunteers are crucial in
ministry of Disaster Response
Are you looking to grow in your discipleship and make a difference in someone else’s life at the same time? The Great Plains Disaster Response Ministry is for you! Our ministry is based on making disciples by showing compassion and care to all people affected by a disaster. If you are 18 years and older, we need you! Volunteers are crucial and serve as the “hands and feet” of Christ. Without an abundance of willing volunteers, the work does not get done for those who cannot afford insurance or have limited insurance.
You are needed to make a difference! You are needed to make disciples! Contact Rev. Hollie Tapley, htapley@greatplainsumc.org for more information and to sign up.
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Administration
Auburn First UMC, NUMF present legacy giving seminar on April 14
Auburn First UMC and NUMF would like to invite you to a luncheon presentation on faith and finances called “Leaving a Legacy: Planned Giving that Makes an Impact.” The event will take place at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 14, at Auburn First UMC Fellowship Hall.
The seminar will be presented by Andrew M. Loudon of Ball, Loudon, Ebert and Brostrom, LLC and the Nebraska United Methodist Foundation. The foundation is here to help guide and support you in building the legacy you wish to contribute to others. We will assist in identifying ways to plan for the future and help you decide how to utilize your gifts to maximize their impact on others.
RSVP by April 1 to Kristine Roberts at 402-323-8844, kroberts@numf.org or at www.numf.org/rsvp.
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March 31 is deadline to apply for Nebraska UM Foundation grants
Nebraska United Methodist Foundation announces three grant opportunities for churches and individuals
Dean & Keitha Thomson Mission Grant: The Dean & Keitha Thomson Mission Grant is available to a member of a United Methodist church or a member of a recently disaffiliated UM church who is in need of financial assistance for a mission trip.
Ministry Grant: The NUMF ministry grants are available to all Nebraska United Methodist churches and affiliated agencies of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference. These grants are available to enhance and expand church ministries.
Congregational Support New Start/New Faith Community Grant: The Congregational Support New Start/New Faith Community Grant is available to Nebraska United Methodist churches and affiliated Nebraska agencies of the Great Plains United Methodist Conference to enhance and support new church development.
The deadline for all grants is March 31. For more information including grant guidelines and applications, please use this link.
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Resources
Learn from DVDs, books
about Women’s History Month
DVDs and books noting Women’s History Month are available from the United Media Resource Center.
DVDs include “Everyday Waymakers,” “Great Minds of the Medieval World” and “Ladonna Harris: Indian 101.”
Books include “50 Women Every Christian Should Know” by Michelle DeRusha, “Daughters of the Church: Women and Ministry from New Testament Times to the Present” by Ruth Tucker and Walter Litfield, and “Grace Sufficient: A History of Women in American Methodism 1760-1939” by Jean Miller Schmidt.
Find those and more here.
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50 ways to welcome
people this Easter season
Easter is coming, and that means church visitors! Learn how your congregation can make a good first impression with first-time guests with “50 Ways to Welcome New People.” This free resource from Lewis Center for Church Leadership provides strategies and tips to ensure your visitors feel truly welcome and at home in worship, plus guidance on visitor follow-ups and ways to be more inviting in your church.
Read now, download free, and share.
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Across the Connection
In other news
Newsletters
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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 David Burke to update or renew your classified. Submit your classified here.
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